Web of Wonder
by Thunderboom5
Summary: The Spectacular Spider-Girl finds her way to the island home of the mythological Amazons, but with her past failures haunting her mind, it will take a living wonder to help her heal and find happiness once more, and not a moment too soon as the progenitor of strife and conflict makes his move to engulf the world in the ultimate war.
1. Prologue

The first thing she heard was the fizzling of sparks, one of which struck her exposed eyelid and gave her a little sting that jolted her awake.

She immediately raised her hands and grasped the straps holding her in place as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the cramped interior.

Red warning lights flickered above and beside her head, loose wires hung like multicolored spaghetti noodles from several damaged compartments here and there, and thin wisps of smoke drifted through the air, her nostrils inadvertently inhaling once and eliciting a small cough from her lungs.

' _Still alive.'_ She mentally sighed.

Another spark struck her eye and she hissed.

"Okay, I'm up. Geez." She mumbled as she held up her hand to block the offending flares.

Time to get out of here.

With her right hand occupied shielding her face, she had to use her left to yank off the straps fastening her to her seat, starting with her shoulders, then her waist, until they finally gave way and she discarded them.

"Good. They were starting to itch, anyway."

Pushing herself forward, she was forced into a crouching position due to the limited space. Looking at what was in front of her, she ran her fingers across the edges of the door, looking for some sort of release button or switch.

She found it on the right side hidden behind some exposed wires, and so grabbed it and gave it a twist.

THUNK

Aside from the noise, nothing happened.

"So that's how it's gonna be then, huh? Alright."

Bracing herself against the walls, she made an attempt to kick the door open, creating a sizable dent in the metal and dislodging it somewhat, as she could see little beams of sunlight seeping through the edges of the bent metal.

One more kick was all it took and the door flew off its hinges, the sudden intrusion of sunlight causing her to go temporarily blind as she slowly made her way out of the pod.

The soothing sensation of warm sand met her feet as the gentle caress of the sun's rays enveloped her. Squinting her eyes until they adjusted to the light, she beheld the absolutely gorgeous sight of a tropical beach, with steady, sapphire-blue tides to her left, white sand stretching as far as she could see straight ahead of her, and tall palm trees bordering a lush tropical forest to her right.

"Hmm, okay then. This is nice, I guess."

She then reached up and removed her mask, allowing her neck-length blonde hair to cascade down her neck as she took a deep, relaxing breath of the fresh late morning air.

When she opened her eyes, she looked down and rubbed her thumb across the purple web pattern of her white veil, muttering a curse when she saw the broken lense meant to protect her right eye. Recalling how it broke in the first place, she placed two fingers to her head and made contact with the bruised area around her eye socket.

"Ow."

She then performed a quick self-examination, cataloguing her aching joints and the few cuts and other bruises she had here and there, including her swollen knuckles underneath the torn fabric of her gloves.

When her hand passed over the damaged pocket on her hip, she fiddled with the loosened fabric to find that its contents were gone without a trace.

"Must've fallen out. Long gone by now."

Focusing her vision, she spotted what appeared to be the top of a small mountain in the distance. Deciding that it would be the best place to get her bearings, she cast one last look over her shoulder at her point of origin and huffed.

"Well, Gwen, here we go again. Whoopdee-fucking-do."

She then proceeded to slowly walk up the beach, trek passed the palm trees and then disappear into the jungle, the fading splash of the waves and distant chirping of birds offering her a minor distraction from her troubled thoughts as she carried on.

(X)

"There it is!"

"Wait, slow down!"

"You know how she gets."

"Hurry up, you two!"

"Alright, we're here. Goodness."

"What is that?"

"It looks like some type of metal…canister, perhaps?"

"Then why is there a seat inside of it?"

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, and look here."

"…Footprints?"

"Yes…leading away from the container."

"By Hera…could it be?"

"So it would seem."

"Another outsider. It's been decades since the last one."

"There weren't supposed to be anymore after that."

"Regardless, we should inform the Queen at once."

"Not yet; not until we have the outsider in our custody. She hasn't gone far."

"She?"

"I can tell by the shape of the tracks and how far they are spaced apart. The outsider is female, possesses a small stature, and is injured to a degree. It looks like we missed her by almost one half-hour, but her speed is increasing."

"Then we must make haste and catch her before she gets too close to the center of the island, lest history repeat itself."

"And before 'You-know-who' finds out."

"Oh, you jest; she will find out either way, regardless of our efforts."

"Yes. It does seem to be one of her many talents."

"Enough. No more talking, my sisters; the hunt is on!"

"Huzzah!"

"Lead the way, Artemis!"

 **Author's Note** :

I've had this idea swimming in my head for a long while.

I'm not sure how long this will be, but I also plan on expanding the world little by little as the story progresses. I'm such a sucker for romance. I hope I do the characters and their relationship justice.

So how'd I do? Please leave a comment/review. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.


	2. Chapter 1

BUZZ

SLAP

She'd been making her way through the jungle for what felt like hours now, even though she knew otherwise, and had yet to come across any signs of civilization.

If there were any.

BUZZ

SLAP

She could've easily climbed one of the trees and made her way across the canopy, but that would have used up a lot more energy than if she simply walked, and if this was indeed the worst case scenario (that this island was completely deserted) she would need all of her strength if she was going to last long enough to get off it and back home.

If she even wanted to.

 _Not now. Bearings first, brooding later._

BUZZ

SLAP

"Damn bugs."

So here she was, walking across the uneven ground in her damaged and dirty costume that was now starting to smell from caked-on sweat and dried blood from her cuts and scrapes, and in the company of her many _annoying_ new friends.

But she had to keep moving if she was to find her bearings, and then locate shelter, food, and whatever else you needed to survive in a place like this.

"Should've packed my Tom Hanks Island Survival Kit, complete with a build-your-own beach ball buddy!"

BUZZ

SLAP

"Fuck!"

Grunting in annoyance, she picked up her pace to try and get away from her attackers, but soon found herself obstructed by a thick bramble patch that seemed to wrap around a small section of tall trees. Tired, sore and agitated, she opted to take the quickest route past the thicket.

THWIPTHWIP

Snagging a couple tree trunks on her webbing, she grabbed hold of the strands tightly and took a few steps back, pulling the lines taught, and once they reached their peak, she lifted her feet and let her makeshift slingshot carry her up and over the brambles with ease, and when she touched down on the other side, she gaped at what she saw.

It was a small clearing upon which a single beam of sunlight shown, and like the rest of the jungle, the grass and flowers were immaculate and dazzling to behold. In the center of it was a pure white column of stone reaching about twelve feet high with some type of vines wrapping all the way around it to the very top.

Grape vines.

GROWL

She glared down at her stomach. "Fine, whatever."

While a small part of her questioned why this all-you-could-eat grape column was in such pristine condition and even here in the first place, that was pushed aside by her body's need for sustenance, so she approached the column and gently removed a piece of the vines on which over a dozen of the little berries had sprouted from.

RIIING

She paused when she felt the familiar tingle of her sixth sense being triggered. She looked over her shoulder for any sign of danger, and when the coast appeared to be clear, she shrugged at returned to the task at hand.

Plucking one grape from its stem, she inspected its deep purple color for a moment before plopping it into her mouth.

 _Holy…_

The taste was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before in her life. It was sweet one second, then sour the next, then sweet again, and the juice was thick enough that it coated the inside of her mouth and throat like honey, all of this making her moan in delight and savor every moment the delectable treat was consumed.

She stuffed her face with a few more before lowering herself to the ground and leaning back against the cool stone structure as she slowly chewed away.

 _Well, this ain't so bad._ She mused with a sigh as she closed her eyes in bliss, only to reopen them when she felt a gentle pressure on her knee.

She smiled when she saw that a small bird, a yellow cardinal from the looks of it, had perched itself on her leg, its head tilting as it observed the larger creature it landed on. Cautiously, Gwen lifted her finger towards the avian, who recoiled slightly and let out a frightened little chirp, making her bite her lip in nervousness.

"It's okay." Gwen soothed. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

She moved her finger again, and this time the cardinal didn't react in fear as she slowly and gently stroked its smooth feathers, making it chirp again, but its tone sounded more grateful than scared.

"You're welcome."

RIIING

Her body reacted before her mind could catch up and spread her legs for her right before a spear embedded itself in the ground between them. The cardinal yelped before flapping its wings and taking off to get to someplace safe, leaving Gwen alone to face whatever was coming.

"Bye, little guy."

She quickly discarded the remaining grapes and then sprang to her feet before throwing her mask back on. She then bent her knees and spread her arms, hands open and palms facing downward in accordance with her usual fighting stance.

 _Okay, it's probably just the natives…whose food I just ate. Shit._

Her muscles tensed when the brambles started to shake and shift, and she could make out what appeared to be three forms making approaching by cutting their way through the thicket with whatever tools they had.

Then the three figures emerged into the clearing one by one, and Gwen gasped silently.

The first one to make it through to the clearing was none other than the bare-chested, leather vest wearing, mustache and goatee sporting Kraven the Hunter, joined swiftly by Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, on his right, and followed immediately after by the snarling, anthropomorphic reptile Curt "The Lizard" Conners on his left.

The three villains stood perfectly still as they stared down their prey, who in turn gaped back at them, and after a few more seconds of intense silence, Gwen broke the ice by asking the big question that was dominating her mind.

"How the hell are you even here?"

(X)

Neither Artemis nor her companions responded to the outsider's words as of yet.

The reason being that she simply did not intimidate them.

Artemis' initial analysis was proven correct: the outsider was indeed female, and small, quite small; not since they had watched the princess grow from her infancy into maturity had they seen someone so paltry in their size. Her outfit, however, as strange as it looked, revealed a toned physique beneath the fabric, hinting that she did have some strength to her, and her stance indicated that she had at least some knowledge of combat as well, but it was nothing that Artemis or her sisters couldn't handle.

Or so they thought.

Deciding that now would be a good time to let the outsider know where she stood, the huntress thrust her sword forward and spoke in the language she and her sisters learned from the previous foreigner, the only other one they knew.

"English", he called it.

"You are trespassing on our sacred island, Outsider. By law you will yield and submit to the judgement of the Queen!"

The small woman's only visible eye rose, but then narrowed just as fast.

She continued staring at Artemis, not moving an inch. Artemis held her gaze for several more seconds, at which point she let out an irritated sigh.

"Very well, then."

And so the huntress then twirled her sword and took one step forward…

THWIP

…before she suddenly felt her blade being ripped from her hand and ending up in the grip of the outsider, who then threw it behind her and embedded it deep into the pillar, all without taking her eyes off the huntress.

It all happened so fast that Artemis had to take a moment to allow her mind to catch up, at which point she scowled and drew her combat knife.

"How dare you!"

She rushed forward, and once she was close enough, the huntress swung her blade, aiming for the smaller woman's shoulder, only for her attack to be blocked by the outsider's forearm, who then grabbed her wrist and twisted it, forcing her to drop her knife. Grunting in frustration, Artemis then clenched her free hand into a fist and swung that next, and the outsider surprised her yet again by catching it almost casually. With both of her arms now restrained, all the huntress could do was look her foe in the eye and noticed her smirking beneath her mask, which only added to her growing fury.

But then the outsider's smirk vanished when she dashed upward so her forehead collided with Artemis' nose in a swift, but powerful headbutt. The force of blow stunned the huntress long enough for the outsider to throw her over her shoulder, causing the taller woman smack against the pillar sideways.

But the outsider didn't let up as she then quickly enveloped Artemis in some type of sticky substance sprayed from the bottoms of her wrists that adhered the huntress to the stone column.

As Artemis struggled to break free, she saw her two sisters running to attack the outsider from behind, but the smaller woman moved as if she anticipated their actions ahead of time, bobbing and weaving to and from as she seamlessly dodged every jab of their spears and swing of their swords, and when the invader finally decided to retaliate, she struck with such strength and speed that the other two Amazons were caught woefully unprepared for such an assault.

In mere moments all three Amazons were neutralized, their forms restrained by the same sticky material the outsider stored in her wrists. Said girl then approached Artemis' trapped form and removed the sword embedded in the stone close to her knee. She held the tip of the blade to the huntress' throat as she stared into her eyes.

Artemis returned her glare with an equally vicious one. "Do it."

The small girl merely huffed before throwing the blade away. She then leaped to the top of the pillar in a single bound before releasing another strand and swinging away, leaving the three warriors in quite an embarrassing position.

"Forgive me for being obvious, sisters." One of Artemis' companions spoke from her spot on the ground. "But I believe we underestimated her."

"Indeed." The huntress growled after she spat out the blood that trickled from her broken nose into her mouth.

If only he could reach her knife, then she could free herself and pursue the intruder.

With a vengeance.

"Hippolyta is going to be furious." Artemis' other comrade sighed.

"Furious about what?" A distinct voice called out.

Artemis groaned as the Princess of the Amazons came bounding over the bramble patch atop her trusty unicorn stead, her long black hair billowing in the light breeze and her sapphire eyes narrowed in concern. She then dismounted her equine friend and then approached her sisters, stopping before Artemis.

"Princess, how did you know we were here?"

As if on cue, a yellow cardinal descended and perched itself on Diana's shoulder, chirping proudly at it nuzzled her cheek.

"She told me that there was someone new here she didn't recognize." She looked right into Artemis' eyes. "Is it true then? There is another outsider on the island?"

The huntress let lout a weary sigh. "Yes. A young woman."

"A young woman?!" Diana gasped, the yellow cardinal flying away, startled. "Did she do this to you all? She gestured to their bindings.

"Yes." Artemis muttered in half-embarrassment, half-rage. But then she noticed Diana reaching for her. "Princess, don't; you'll get stuck!"

Diana hesitated, then slowly pulled a piece of the viscous material off her friend with her thumb and forefinger before bringing it to her face and inspecting it.

"Hmm, it almost feels like spider silk, but much stronger." She then wiped her fingers on the ground and picked up the huntress' discarded blade. "Fear not, I shall cut you free."

KAW-KAW

Everyone stopped and observed as a black crow descended onto the clearing before it became engulfed in a swirling vortex of dark mist and black feathers, and when it dissipated, a svelte, exotic-looking woman with black hair and yellow eyes stood in its place. She was dressed in burgundy-colored robes and her black lips were curled into an amused smile at the sight before her.

"Are you sure that is a wise course of action, my princess?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her mostly uncovered chest. "After all, tis better to keep a rabid dog on her leash that to let her run free."

"Morrigan." Artemis sneered. "You saw everything that happened, and yet you did nothing?"

"And miss an extremely rare moment of getting to watch your overconfidence come back to bite you?"

"Alright, enough." Diana declared. "Morrigan, since you are here…"

"Very well." And then with a wave of her hand, the spider silk restraining her sisters disappeared in a small burst of flame, far more efficient than if Diana slowly cut them away bit by bit.

As Artemis and her troupe stood up and dusted themselves off, Diana placed her hands on her friend's shoulders.

"Now, please tell me. What happened exactly?"

Artemis glared at Morrigan, who gestured for her to begin her tale, before turning back to her princess.

"The meteor rock we were sent to investigate wasn't actually a rock. It was some type of container from which the outsider emerged from. We tracked her here and attempted to bring her into custody, but she resisted." She wiped her bloody nose on her forearm. "You saw how that turned out."

"What can you tell me about her specifically?" Diana pressed.

Before Artemis could speak, Morrigan interjected.

"She is young, no more than two and a half decades. Five foot, seven inches tall, and with blonde hair."

Diana's eyes widened. "Blonde hair? Like Steve?"

"Yes. Her abilities, however, are what intrigued me the most."

The princess then raised an eyebrow at Artemis. "The webbing?"

"That and more." Morrigan went on. "She is strong, agile, possesses tremendous reflexes, and stores her webbing within her wrists. She is no mere woman, but an arachnid in human form. I'll admit, it was most impressive watching her defeat three of our sisters so quickly and efficiently."

Artemis growled once again and clenched her fists, but a look from Diana forced her to restrain herself.

"What happened next?" Diana inquired of the huntress.

Artemis cast her vision toward the east. "After she… _defeated_ us…" She forced out. "She fled across the tree line moments before you arrived."

"Then I'm afraid you missed a crucial detail." Morrigan revealed, ignoring the annoyed glare Artemis gave her as she approached the column and removed a piece of the vines, the one the outsider feasted from.

"I teleported here immediately after I sensed that someone was helping themselves to my grapes, and saw that our new guest had already eaten several before her encounter with Artemis."

"No." Diana gasped.

She recalled the few instances over the past two thousand years of her life when one of her sisters attempted to take Morrigan's treasured fruit without her permission…and the consequences of doing so thanks to the enchantment she placed on them to discourage would-be thieves.

"She has already begun to feel the effects, I'm sure of it." Morrigan added.

"Then we must find her quickly before she harms herself." Diana proclaimed. "Morrigan, return to the palace and inform my mother of what has transpired. Have Philippus organize a search party to find and secure the girl so you can then neutralize the spell on her mind."

"At once, my liege." The dark sorceress bowed.

One flash of dark energy later, and she was gone, after which the princess turned to the other three Amazons still with her.

"Artemis, regroup with Philippus at the river, and remember to _not_ use lethal force when you encounter the girl again."

The huntress let out a sigh before placing her right fist over her heart. "Very well, Diana, but what will you do?"

One look at the excited, and slightly concerned gleam in her princess's eyes and Artemis already knew the answer.

"I will try and find her." Diana then summoned her unicorn to her side with a whistle and climbed aboard. "Intruder or otherwise, I will not let her suffer so terribly for mere ignorance. Now onward!"

As her princess galloped away, Artemis shook her head in exasperation.

"Her excitement will only get her into trouble."

"But she can handle herself." Her comrade spoke softly.

"True." The huntress sighed. "Now let's get moving. We wouldn't want to keep Philippus waiting."

(X)

A couple hours had passed since her encounter with Kraven's crew, and Gwen was still getting nowhere fast.

She figured that her immediate course of action would be to find some way off this island as soon as possible, so she used the canopies of the trees as cover while she made her way along the coast in search of anything vaguely resembling a boat she could commandeer, but so far had no such luck.

RIIING

Then there was her other problem.

Activating her camouflage ability once more, she blended into the leaves and branches of her latest perch to conceal herself from the next group of villains that came her way, this one consisting of Shocker, Hammerhead, Tombstone, and Marko.

And all of them were riding horses like all the other patrols she'd seen.

 _What the hell? Are they trying to save money on gas or something?_

The four villains galloped along, unaware that their foe was hiding right over their heads, and only when they disappeared down the pathway did she drop her cloak and exhale tiredly.

 _I've gotta find some way to not have to use that so much. It takes too much concentration._

She directed her gaze over the canopy and noticed that the sun had sunk a little lower in the sky.

 _If I can't find a boat then I'll have to find their base and take an aircraft. How else could they've all gotten here?_

The last thing she wanted was to have to spend the night on an isolated island crawling with her rogues gallery, but something else just wasn't adding up.

 _What are they all doing here, anyway? Did they just jump ship after Peter and I kicked their asses one too many times, or is this their new vacation spot? Damn you, Spider-Luck; out of all the places I could've crashed it seriously had to be-_

RIIING

 _Crap!_

On instinct she leapt onto the adjacent branch to avoid an oncoming dagger that narrowly missed her head…

 _Hah! Fuck you!_

Only for her to then be snagged around her torso by a rope and yanked out of the tree.

 _Fuck me!_

She was dragged across the ground into another clearing. When she finally stopped, it was at the feet of Bullseye and Rhino, the latter now carrying a massive hammer over his shoulder while the former held the other end of the rope with one hand and a wooden staff with the other, and both were scowling down at her.

She stared back up at them with wide eyes.

"…Soooo, you guys on your honeymoon, or something?"

When their eyes widened, she took that as her cue to leap over their heads and land at the edge of the clearing.

Which also happened to lead to a cliff that dropped dozens of feet into a raging river.

"Yikes!"

She angled herself so that her feet landed centimeters away from the drop, and even with her arms still bound, she maintained her balance.

"Leap like a frog, land like a kitty!" She cheered.

She looked ahead and saw that Bullseye and Rhino were now holding their respective melee weapons tightly and taking fighting stances.

"Hang on, gimme a sec."

With minimal effort, Gwen extended her arms and snapped the ropes, letting them drop to the ground listlessly, the villains looking on in mild astonishment.

"Okay." She said as she shook the tension out of her limbs. "Now I'm ready."

All three combatants rushed toward their opponents at once, Bullseye gaining ground faster than his partner and thus being the first to reach Gwen.

He swung his staff, but she blocked it with her forearm before firing a web blast into his face, blinding him long enough for her to deliver two jabs into his stomach and then throw him over her shoulder, sending him tumbling across the ground and almost falling off the edge of the cliff.

RIIING

Gwen turned to see Rhino seconds away from colliding with her, but as she prepared to leap out of the way, something slashed across her shoulder and she yelped in pain, moving quickly to apply pressure to the cut as she noticed another small dagger fall to the ground ahead of her.

Rhino suddenly tackled her to the ground and used his hammer to pin her there. Gwen struggled with both her hands to try and push it off her chest, and in the process tilted her head back to see Bullseye running at her upside-down. Gritting her teeth, she rolled backward and managed to kick Rhino off of her, but after she performed a handspring to get back to her feet, she turned around just in time to be hit in the face with some sort of pellet that Bullseye threw at her moments before.

The pellet exploded and smothered her face from the bridge of her nose up in some sort of thick, glue-like substance that completely obstructed her vision. As she reached up to try and pull it off, something slammed into her middle and sent her sprawling back towards the tree line.

Rolling with the impact, she righted herself and then tore the glue off her face, which unfortunately took her mask with it, leaving her face exposed.

But she was too upset to even care at the moment, instead opting to glare and the now smirking villains, her ire mainly focused on Bullseye.

"Freaking copycat!"

Then she heard the bushed behind her begin to rustle.

Assuming it was another baddie, she turned around just as something came bursting out of the brush and into the clearing, stopping right before her.

The "something" turned out to be a large horse, but not just any horse, if the large horn protruding from its forehead was anything to go by.

 _A unicorn? Holy crap, that's-_

But then her train of thought derailed, crashed and burned a moment later, the passengers aboard all dying horribly when she saw who was riding atop the majestic creature.

His yellow eyes bore into her widened, terrified ones as she took in every detail of his costume, from the purple tunic with a matching elf-hat and purse to the leggings, sleeves, and mask made to resemble clammy green skin.

"Wha-? H-how?" Gwen stammered, her heart thundering and breath quickening as she took a step back and pointed at him accusingly. "You're supposed to be dead!"

The Green Goblin raised an eyebrow down at her, but by the time he opened his mouth to replay, she had already bolted in the opposite direction, leaping over Bullseye and Rhino before diving off the edge of the cliff.

She released a web line and used it to swing down the large canyon, following it downstream as her mind went haywire with this dark discovery.

 _He's back! He's back! How the fuck is he back? He died! He couldn't have survived that! Clone? Fuck, I wasn't ready for this! Need to get away! Get away!_

Luckily, she spotted something in her peripheral.

At first glance it looked like some sort of black splotch that completely clashed with the gray rocks of the canyon walls, but one double take revealed it to be the entrance to a narrow cave. Touching down at the threshold, her night vision ability kicked in as she made her way inside.

After a few minutes of walking, she heard something scurrying across the ground, and followed the noise to see a little spider crawl over her foot.

She knelt down and held out her open palm for it to climb on before activating another, less-used ability of hers.

"Hey there." She whispered to the tiny arachnid. "Is this where you live, little guy?"

" _Yes."_ It responded to her telepathically. _"Me and my whole family."_

"Really? How many of you are there?"

" _Many, many, many!"_

She turned and looked back down the way she came. If Osborn was going to follow her, she would need to be prepared.

And she would not let him get away.

So she brought the spider closer to her face and spoke in the gentlest tone she could.

"Could you and your family help me with something, please?"

(X)

Diana stared at the cliff's edge mouth agape for a prolonged moment after the outsider disappeared over the edge.

She honestly wasn't sure how to react to what just transpired before her very eyes. The girl at first seemed in awe at the sight of her unicorn steed, but upon seeing Diana herself she became filled with terror. She then proceeded to accuse the princess of being "dead" before dashing to the cliff and leaping off, all in the span of a few seconds.

Her mind was abuzz with questions, but she was broken out of her contemplation before she could get too far.

"Diana?"

Diana gazed down at the slender woman that approached her, who removed the hood of her dark blue cloak to reveal her pale but lovely face and her shimmering red hair, a single braid hanging down the left side.

Diana shook her head briefly to clear her head.

"Forgive me, Leliana." The princess apologized. "But I am having trouble understanding what I just witnessed."

"So am I, my lady." Leliana then offered her hand to help her friend down off her unicorn, which she did. "But at least now we know that the outsider's speed is not to be questioned."

"Indeed. Hermes would be impressed."

Both women shared a small chuckle before Diana began approaching the cliff, giving Nubia a pat on her shoulder along the way, but raising an eyebrow at her dark-skinned sister's choice of weapon.

"A hammer?"

Nubia shrugged. "I didn't become champion thanks to my skills with just _one_ weapon, sister, as you've seen on multiple occasions."

The princess gave her twin a playful jab to her shoulder, but then her expression hardened as she gazed down the canyon in the direction the outsider fled, her heart riddled with worry over the poor girl's condition.

"We must pursue her."

Leliana moved to stand beside her, as did Nubia.

"Morrigan's enchantment is definitely taking its toll on her mind." The red-headed Amazon pointed out. "But she has proven most elusive."

"She has kept close to the edge of the island." Nubia added. "Perhaps she is looking for some sort of dock to escape?"

Leliana shook her head. "Sadly, her efforts will be in vain."

"But she doesn't know that." Diana said. "I believe she will follow the river downstream until she reaches the edge once more so she may continue her search."

She turned to Leliana. "I will push her towards the falls. Tell Philippus and Morrigan to meet us there."

"Are you sure you wish to face her alone?" Leliana asked. "Her reaction to the mere sight of you was most extreme."

"It's not her fault." Diana sighed, her expression turning somber. "The spell on her mind is the cause of her behavior. She had no way of knowing what Morrigan's grapes would do to her. Now hurry, take my steed if you must!"

"Yes, princess." Leliana bowed and pulled her hood back over her head before turning to Nubia. "Come, my friend."

The two warriors mounted Diana's unicorn and galloped away, the princess herself silently wishing them good luck before refocusing on the canyon.

Utilizing the gift of Hermes, she took one step off the cliff, but did not fall, her body instead floating in mid-air, lighter than a feather. She then took off down the canyon, navigating her way through the rocks and narrow gaps until she came across the entrance to the old caves she used to explore and saw something dangling from the top. Curious, she set herself down there and yanked the object loose.

It was a large strand of webbing, too thick and strong to be made by an ordinary arachnid.

 _Found you._

She made her way deeper into the cave, which became darker and darker as she progressed, but Artemis' divine sight, along with her own memories of all the times she used to play down here, enabled her to make her way through the cavern with relative ease. The only problem she came across after a short trek was a thick wall of webbing, nothing her sword couldn't fix.

She unsheathed the blade at her hip and sliced the wall in two, its halves parting like a curtain, but when she stepped through, her ears picked up dozens of tiny voices echoing along the walls, almost too small to hear.

"She was right. The pursuer has come."

"Warn her."

"Don't get stepped on."

Diana was shocked. Somehow the outsider had managed to communicate with these arachnids and persuade them to act as her lookout for anyone who might follow her down here, a power she thought was only reserved for those blessed by Athena herself, like she was.

But it also saddened her somewhat that none of these spiders were familiar with her, but that was understandable as the ones she spoke to last time she was here were long gone by now, succeeded by their hundreds of children and their children's children and so on.

But she couldn't let that slow her down right now, so she buried those thoughts and picked up her stride, cutting through more silk nets in her path while doing her best not to squish any of the little eight-legged creatures still crawling about.

She was a guest in their home, after all, just like the outsider was.

And yet the Princess of the Amazons didn't feel nearly as welcome.

 _Just what else are you capable of, child?_

So far the girl had proven capable of holding her own against Diana's sisters, and now the warrior part of her mind was looking forward to testing her skills against such a strange, but intriguing opponent.

But that eagerness quickly became overshadowed by her desire to show this girl compassion, to save her from whatever poison Morrigan's hex had inflicted on her mind and prove that she and the rest of the Amazons only wished to help her and understand her motives.

Even if it meant subduing her by force, if necessary.

She prayed silently that it wouldn't come to that, and if it did, that she would exercise restraint and utilize non-lethal force to only inflict enough harm needed to subdue her opponent as quickly as possible.

After cutting through another wall of webbing, she stepped into a large chamber, about half as big as the arena where she would often train. Her enhanced vision allowed her to see the stalactites on the ceiling dripping with water, the only sound she could hear at the moment. She then looked down to the floor and noticed the hole she fell into more than once and took a step back, not wanting to make the same mistake she did as a child.

Just then she heard a loud rumble coming from behind her and turned just in time to see a boulder collapse in front of the way she came in, blocking the only exit and trapping her.

Diana felt a ping of apprehension in her chest; it seems the outsider did not want her to leave.

Closing her eyes, she focused on expanding her hearing passed the dripping of water and faint echoes throughout the chamber, searching for any signs of the girl, who no doubt was still in here with her.

BA-DUM

A heartbeat.

A quiet rush of air.

Right behind her.

 _Athena, guide my hand._

Spinning on her heel, she brought her hand up and caught the girl's wrist as she swung at her head. The young blonde than threw another punch aimed at Diana's face which she also caught, and afterword they stared into each other's eyes.

While Diana's expression was one of concern and mild surprise, the outsider's was the perfect picture of rage, all directed at Diana herself.

It finally became clear to the princess: the spell was causing her to perceive Diana as something she absolutely despised.

"Listen to me, child." She spoke in English. "You are-"

She never got to finish as the girl used both her feet to kick Diana's midsection and then push herself away, performing a backflip and landing on the other side of the chamber as far from her opponent as she could.

"I don't know how you came back." The girl snarled. "But you should've stayed dead."

Diana clenched her fists. "Please. Your mind has been poisoned by-"

"SHUT UP!"

The girl then fired a volley of small web blasts from her wrists, the first few of which Diana deflected with her bracelets, but the rest latched onto her lower body until she found it difficult to move her legs.

She looked down for a brief moment and cursed her luck, long enough for the outsider to launch herself at the Amazon, crashing into her with a flying dropkick that sent her sailing back into the stone wall, cracking it as her sword clattered to the ground.

She barely had time to shake the pebbles out of her hair before she felt herself being wrapped in a cocoon the outsider provided, ensnaring the princess from the neck down.

The outsider then used another strand of webbing to retrieve Diana's sword from the floor as she advanced toward her, a gleam in her eyes that told the princess exactly what she intended to do with it.

With a grunt, she tore herself free of her bonds with her bare hands and then glared at the girl, who ceased her stride and reverted to staring at her prey with wide eyes.

"H-how'd you…?"

"You are strong, but I'm afraid I'm stronger. Please, surrender and let me help you."

The blonde girl scowled. "Make me, you son of a bitch."

"…So be it." The Amazon sighed.

Diana ran forward, the outsider responding by throwing her stolen blade back at her, which she deflected with her bracelet, sending it spinning through the air and embedding itself into the ceiling.

Once the distance closed between them, their exchange began, Diana spending most of her time blocking and dodging her opponent's fast and furious strikes, and with each one that didn't make contact, the outsider became even more enraged.

Eventually, Diana saw an opening and took it, kneeing the poor girl in the stomach before grabbing her arm, and throwing her over her shoulder.

She then placed her foot on the girl's back and lightly twisted her appendage, making her grunt in pain.

"Submit!" Diana ordered.

"NO!"

Then, with astounding flexibility, the girl twisted her body and kicked Diana in the head, sending the princess stumbling back while the girl nearly tripped and fell down the hole she was standing next to.

Rubbing her now throbbing arm, the girl, now practically foaming at the mouth with rage, then glowered at Diana.

"Just die, you fucker!"

She then released several strands of webbing at the ceiling and grabbed hold of several pointed rocks, and then, with a cry of strength, she pulled.

Diana looked on in horror as the ceiling gave way, sending thousands of pounds of rock plummeting towards them.

 _Is she so desperate to destroy the illusion she sees in my place that she'd risk killing_ _ **herself**_ _to do it?_

Seeing no other option, she ran forward and tackled the smaller girl, sending them both plummeting down the hold. Down they went until they splashed into another cave, this one featuring a rushing underground river that began to pull them along the narrow passageway.

But unfortunately, the outsider's actions in the chamber above had started a chain reaction that dislodged several more boulders from up above and sent them crashing into the water below.

One hit Diana right on top of her head, the sudden, albeit less-than minor pain causing her grip on the outsider to loosen. The smaller girl seized this opportunity to break free of her captor's hold.

She then elbowed Diana in the face and then began swimming downstream towards the light at the end of the tunnel.

Diana made an attempt to pursue, but was caught off guard when another massive stone landed right on her back, forcing her beneath the current until she reached the riverbed at the bottom, and with each new stone that piled on top of her, the outsider gained more and more ground.

But Diana wasn't finished yet, and the girl would not escape again.

So despite the cumbersome weight pressing down on her, she braced her hands and feet against the riverbed, and pushed.

(X)

"Whoah!"

Gwen didn't know what else to say as she plummeted down the waterfall into the pool at the bottom, the impact echoing off the nearby trees with a resounding "clap."

 _Damn, that stung._

She quickly forced herself to the surface and was glad to find that the water was only waist-deep, but then froze when she saw what was waiting for her on the shoreline.

It was as if all of her and Peter's enemies were there to greet her, some even sitting atop horses; she saw Kraven, Bullseye and Rhino again along with the rest of the Sinister Six, Hammerhead, Tombstone, Morbius, and even Doctor Doom among their ranks.

Dozens of her greatest enemies now had her trapped.

But she wasn't concerned.

The adrenaline coursing through her over the belief that Osborn just died (again) emboldened her to crack her knuckles in the face of such overwhelming odds.

"Okay, so who's-"

CRASH

"Next?"

She turned just in time to see a torrent of water explode out of the cave she fell from, right before the Green Goblin himself came flying out.

Flying.

He remained floating in mid-air for a moment before lowering himself to the water until his toes were a mere inch away from touching the surface, at which point he just hovered there while giving Gwen a look that was equal parts frustration and annoyance.

Gwen, however, was horrified beyond belief, nearly falling backwards as she backed away from her nemesis.

"H-how'are you doing that? How the fuck are you even alive?!" She sputtered.

"This has gone on long enough." Goblin said.

He then dove straight for her, Gwen leaping out of the way right as he came crashing down into the water right next to her, but she barely had time to think before he was already on top of her again.

Acting out of desperation, she swung her fist as hard as she could, but Goblin caught it, never taking his eyes off his prey.

He then brought two fingers up and jabbed her arm in three places, and Gwen felt the entire limb go numb in an instant as it fell limply to her side once Goblin let it go.

He repeated the process on her other arm, then both her legs. It all happened so fast, and with her body already tired from the crash, evading her pursuers, and her rematch with Osborn, that she couldn't stop it.

When his work was finished, Goblin remained still and merely watched as Gwen fell over backwards and sunk into the water.

 _I can't move. I can't breathe. I'm going to drown._

Her heart pounded in her chest as her body fought for air.

 _Is this finally it? Will it finally be over?_

 _Will she be waiting for me?_

She was broken from her thoughts when she felt strong hands reach under her arms and haul her out of the water. She coughed a few times to remove the excess water from her lungs and mouth before her vision cleared and she looked up to see the that the Goblin was now supporting her limp body for her.

And for whatever reason, his expression made him appear almost…concerned for her.

She scoffed at the notion.

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Gwen goaded, not caring that she was completely at his mercy. "You're so close; why stop now, huh?"

Goblin said nothing, only responding by widening his eyes, which only made Gwen angrier.

"DO IT!" The young hero roared in his face.

Goblin responded by turning to look at the shoreline where the villains had gathered.

"Morrigan, now!" He called out.

"Who?" Gwen asked as she turned her head as well.

What she saw was the master of illusions himself, Mysterio, walking through the water to where she and Osborn were, his hands raised and aglow with purple light.

When he stopped next to them, Gwen saw her own eyes narrow in her reflection on his fishbowl-head.

"What, is 'Morrigan' your stage name, now?"

Mysterio didn't say anything, his only response being him placing his glowing hands on either side of her head and speaking some sort of incantation.

And that's when Gwen felt it.

The familiar, but unwelcome sensation of someone probing her mind with magic.

She wondered briefly when and how Mysterio learned how to wield the arcane arts as opposed to using smoke and mirror tech like usual, but her thoughts soon became concerned primarily with getting away from him.

"No, you don't." She growled. "No you fucking don't!"

She tried to will her body to move, but she only managed to twitch her fingers and wiggle her feet ever so slightly. Perhaps if she had more time her body would have recovered faster thanks to her powers, but it was a luxury she didn't have at the moment. She felt the magic delve deeper and deeper into her mind and tried to fight it off, but it was all for naught. Pretty soon she'd most likely become some brainwashed slave to these villains and whoever they were working for.

But then, that's when Gwen felt something surprising.

The magic wasn't consuming her mind like she thought it was, but it almost felt like it was…refreshing it, enveloping it in a soothing coolness that she found to be very welcoming, like she could trust it to not harm her. And so against her better judgement, she closed her eyes and let the magic do its work, and once the coolness faded away, she slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by a sight she did not expect.

Standing in the Goblin's place was an absolutely gorgeous woman, with long, flowing black hair, flawless skin, full lips, and bright, captivating blue eyes.

Gwen was mystified to the point where it took her several seconds to form any sort of response.

"Huh?"

She then turned her head again, and sure enough, Mysterio was now replaced by some type of gothic witch, and behind her were a small army of supermodels decked out in what looked like ancient Roman battle garb.

Now Gwen was even more confused, wondering how this could have happened.

And then it clicked.

What were the odds of her entire rogues gallery all being on the same island at the exact same time?

Why did none of them use lethal force on her when they had the chance?

And even if Osborn was resurrected, he would never try and appeal to her like he did all throughout their fight.

Unless it wasn't really Osborn, but the tall, strong woman currently keeping her from drowning.

Speaking of the woman.

Gwen turned back to her to find her gazing down at her with a relieved expression, her smile one of assurance and compassion.

But then Gwen started to sniffle, and the woman's smile turned upside down when she saw her tears.

All this started after she ate those grapes, and they did something that caused her to see everyone she came across as an enemy.

And because of that, she tried to kill the one person who tried her hardest to save her from her own delusions.

So Gwen lowered her head, letting go limp with the rest of her body, and cried softly.

"I-I'm so…so sorry."

(X)

Diana felt her heart sink at the sight of the weeping girl she held firmly in her grasp.

No doubt she had realized the truth behind her compulsion to attack whoever she came across, and it was weighing heavily on her.

 _You poor girl._

But lingering in the water while she still had several physical injuries that needed to be looked at was not going to do her any good, so she placed one arm on the girl's back and then reach down with the other to lift her up by her knees, allowing her to rest her head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She continued to whimper between sobs, her tears staining Diana's turquoise tunic.

Then her storm-blue eyes met Diana's sky-blue ones, and the princess could make out signs of anxiety in those bloodshot orbs.

 _She is ashamed of what she did, but also afraid of what will become of her now that she has been caught._

Not wanting the girl to feel afraid despite her predicament, Diana offered her another benevolent smile.

"Fear not, little one; all is forgiven. It was not your fault to begin with."

"B-but I tried to…"

"Hush." Diana whispered soothingly.

Channeling the nurturing instinct her mother and sisters instilled in her, she leaned down to gently touch her forehead against the girl's, blonde locks mixing with ebony upon contact.

"Rest now. You are safe with me."

As Diana pulled back, the outsider closed her eyes and allowed sleep to claim her, the stress of the day having finally caught up with her at last. Her breath was warm on the princess' shoulder, which the girl's head had reclaimed as its resting place.

Diana released a long sigh of relief from her lungs.

 _Thank Hera, it's over._

Wasting no time, she began making her way to the shore where Philippus and her troops were waiting. She moved at a steady pace to not disturb the sleeping girl she carried.

"Bring a stretcher for her."

Obeying her command, two of Philippus' soldiers retrieved the required object from the saddlebag of a nearby horse and unfolded it on the ground. Diana approached it and then set the unconscious girl down as carefully as she could, folding her arms over her chest for the sake of making her more comfortable afterwards.

As she took a moment to wipe the outsider's tears away, she felt Philippus and Artemis approach behind her.

"We will take her back to the palace." The captain of the guard stated.

"And once she wakes, she will face the Queen's judgement." The huntress' voice was slightly bitterer.

Diana stood up and turned to face them, a stern look on her features.

"Not until her wounds are tended to."

Artemis blanched.

"But Diana, she-"

"Needs. Help. First." The princess countered, her tone brokering no argument. "That is an order."

Artemis stared for a moment before dropping her gaze in surrender.

Philippus then gave the order for her soldiers to move out, the sleeping outsider being carried away with them.

Artemis turned to Diana one last time and gave her a wary look, to which the princess responded with a silent gesture of her head telling the huntress to get moving, which she did.

The clopping of hooves alongside her directed her attention toward Leliana, who had brought her princess' unicorn with her.

"Your steed, my lady."

Diana thanked her before swiftly climbing atop her mount, but then she noticed Morrigan gazing in the direction Philippus' company had departed, a serious look in her eyes.

"Is something the matter, Morrigan?"

The sorceress, however, remained idle.

"Forgive me, my liege, but it would be best if I discussed it with you in your mother's presence."

Now Diana was even more concerned, and thus followed her sister's gaze, pinpointing its focus on the outsider before she and the two soldiers carrying her disappeared over the hill.

"Does it have to do with her?"

Now Morrigan turned towards her.

"Yes."

She then shape-changed into her crow form and took flight, disappearing over the treetops.

Diana watched her leave before commanding her steed to begin galloping, Leliana following on her own horse.

It was a good thing Morrigan mentioned her mother, because now she had a chance to plan what she was going to say when they conversed about today's events.

 _Whatever my mother's judgment may be, I swear that no further harm will come to this girl._

But the mystery behind her was now even larger and continued to plague her thoughts.

 _What did you see, Morrigan?_

She prayed that the answers would be revealed soon.

(X)

 **A/N** :

Disclaimer: This story is a non-profit fan-based work of fiction. Gwen Stacy and all things related belong to Marvel Comics, while Wonder Woman and her mythos belong to DC. Same for Morrigan, Leliana, Dragon Age and Bioware. No copyright infringement intended.

First, I apologize that this took so long to get out.

Secondly, I will NOT apologize for including Dragon Age characters. I just felt they could fit in this story.

Please leave a comment/review. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.


	3. Chapter 2

**The Royal Palace…**

A tense silence permeated the air as Diana made her way to the throne room as instructed. She had just finished making sure that the outsider was receiving proper care from the healers before a guard informed her that her mother wished to meet with her immediately, no doubt to discuss the events of today as well as determine what to do with Themyscira's newest arrival.

Her mind traveled back to when she last saw her.

The girl was lying still on a bed in the medical ward, strapped down for precautionary reasons. Diana stood over her as Epione and her assistant ran around the room gathering the supplies they'd need to treat their patient. The princess herself, however, remained idle, not quite sure why she was lingering so long. She knew the girl would be taken care of; Epione had literally thousands of years of experience treating wounds from training exercises and the occasional skirmish, but for whatever reason, that did little to alleviate Diana's concern for her charge.

 _Her_ charge?

While she pondered her own thoughts, the girl began to stir before her eyes shot open and she sucked in a desperate breath. Diana took a step back in shock, watching as the outsider's head turned this way and that as she struggled to determine where she was and why her movements were restricted.

Her sudden and abrupt awakening did not go unnoticed, however.

"She's awake!" Epione shouted.

The girl's eyes darted back and forth as the tall women closed in on her from both sides. She tried to sit up, but Epione moved to hold her down. The girl reacted by breaking her arm free of its bonds and violently pushing the Amazon away, sending her sailing back and crashing into a nearby table.

It wasn't until the outsider grabbed the second healer's wrist that Diana decided to intervene. She approached the girl from behind, leaned over her, and placed both hands on either side of her head. The girl lifted her fierce gaze, but when her eyes met Diana's, her expression softened from hostility into recognition and her struggling ceased.

"It's alright," Diana whispered, her thumbs gently rubbing the girl's cheekbones to soothe the lingering tension. "You are safe. Just breathe."

Amazingly, the girl did as instructed, never taking her eyes off Diana as she took a slow, deep lungful of air, then another and another. Soon, her body relaxed and her grip on the healer loosened, but she had yet to fully relinquish it.

Diana smiled gratefully.

"Thank you." She went on delicately. "Now, you need to remain calm. You are in no danger here. These two are healers; they will take care of you. We mean you no harm, I promise."

The girl's eyelids started to flutter, and Diana saw a single tear leak out of one. She brushed it away before lowering her head and gently placing her lips on the young woman's forehead, the recipient of the kiss releasing a contented sigh in response.

After a few seconds, Diana pulled away. "Sleep. The gods will watch over you."

Slowly, the girl closed her eyes and gradually fell into a deep slumber once more. As quietly as she could, Diana stood up just as Epione approached from the side, her eyes trained on the inactive form atop the bed, anticipating another sudden outburst.

"You needn't worry," Diana assured.

"Are you certain?" Epione asked.

"Yes." A small smile formed on her face. "I could see it in her eyes. She won't act out like that again."

Just then, the door opened and one of the guards leaned into the room. "Princess, your mother wishes to speak with you urgently."

 _About her._ Diana concluded as she nodded at the guard.

"Begin her treatment." She commanded her sisters. "When she wakes, send for me."

She left the room after that, and once the door closed, a purple light showed under it; the healers had begun their work at last.

So deep was she in her own memories that she hadn't realized that she made it to the throne room door until the guards greeted her as she approached. Straightening her posture, she bowed in greeting before the guards opened the door for her and she stepped through the threshold.

The room was immaculate, with a glistening marble interior supported by six large columns, and in between each the Amazonian Flag proudly hung. Along the walls were paintings depicting tributes to each of the Olympian gods as well as a brief history of the Amazonian culture itself. At the far end stood the golden throne, a large blue curtain draped along the wall behind it, and Diana zeroed in on those gathered around the Queen's seat of power.

Sitting on the throne was, of course, Diana's mother Hippolyta, dressed in royal purple robes with her golden staff held firmly in her hand. To her right was the ever vigilant Philippus, captain of the guard, general of the Amazons in wartime, and most importantly of all, Hippolyta's wife and Diana's second parent. At the foot of the throne was everyone who had personal encounters with the outsider: Artemis, Leliana, Nubia, and Morrigan, all chatting until the Queen saw her daughter walking towards them.

"Diana." Hippolyta greeted.

The princess responded with a warm smile. "I am here, mother."

"Thank you for coming, dear." She got up from her seat and stepped down, Philippus following. "We have much to discuss."

"Indeed."

Hippolyta's expression grew somber. "How is she?"

Diana flinched "She had a little outburst when she first woke, but I managed to calm her down. She is currently resting while Epione mends her wounds, and I am to be informed when she wakes."

"Do you believe she'll make a full recovery?"

"As I am sure you've already heard, mother," Diana cast a smirk toward Artemis. "She is a lot stronger than she appears."

The huntress scoffed, and Leliana giggled.

"Indeed." But then Hippolyta sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "But that only adds more questions to the steadily growing pile. The presence of this girl is…confusing, to say the least. Has she at least given her name?"

"No, not yet," Diana answered with a shake of her head.

"Her abilities fascinate me," Nubia stated, an excited gleam in her eye. "Perhaps if she had been of a sounder mind, she may have been a bigger challenge."

"We shouldn't be concerned with that right now." Artemis jeered. "What we need to focus on is how she got here and why."

"I agree," Philippus said, nervously running a hand through her corn rows. "The last time an outlander appeared on our shores, it almost spelled certain doom for Themyscira itself."

"If not for Steve himself interfering." Diana pointed out.

"Regardless," Hippolyta began, "We can all agree that we do not want history to repeat itself. This girl is an enigma that we must solve as quickly as possible."

"We cannot question her properly until she recovers." Diana proclaimed, a slight, almost unnoticeable edge in her tone. "The laws are clear."

Hippolyta's heart swelled with pride at her daughter's strong will, but then she looked over and saw Morrigan standing idle in the shadow of a column.

"Morrigan, perhaps you can shed some light on this. You saw into the girl's mind when you removed the hex, yes? Was there anything you noticed that stood out?"

"Indeed there was, my queen," Morrigan answered as she stepped into the light.

"What was it?" Diana pressed. "What did you see?"

The sorceress closed her eyes in concentration. "Despair."

Everyone was shocked, Diana most of all. "Despair?"

Morrigan nodded. "Yes. The minuscule amount I glimpsed felt as though a mountain was pressing down on me." Her eyes then opened, a solemn look to them. "Normally, that amount of sorrow would push the average person to end their pain using whatever methods they could."

Diana then recalled what transpired in the cave, how the outsider was willing to collapse it in on herself to kill the monster she perceived her opponent to be. Surely she thought of some way to escape that situation, did she not?

"No, she did nothing." The princess murmured.

Hippolyta noticed. "What do you mean by 'nothing'?

"When I fought her in the cave, she brought the whole chamber down on top of us in an attempt to eliminate the threat she saw me as, but she made no move to save herself until I tackled her into the chamber below."

"Are you saying she could potentially be suicidal?" Leliana blanched.

"Without knowing more about her, I'm not sure," Diana answered quietly, her throat suddenly feeling very dry. "If...if she was, what could possibly drive her to do such a thing to herself?"

"A heart shattered by grief one too many times."

Everyone turned to see their newest arrival step out from behind another column and lean back against it. The Amazons all froze at the sight of her long, flowing blonde hair and full, curvaceous figure wrapped in a revealing violet robe, but it was her shining, ethereal eyes that were the most telling.

"Aphrodite." Hippolyta breathed before bowing, her family and subjects following. "Forgive us, we would have prepared a formal greeting."

"It's quite alright, Hippolyta." The goddess chuckled. "There are far more pressing matters, like your new guest."

"You know her?" Diana asked.

"In a way. I was the one who persuaded Hera to allow her passage to the island."

"But why?" Artemis inquired. "What is this outsider to you?"

"I have been watching her for some time," Aphrodite explained. "I cannot reveal everything to you, but I will say that her pain runs deeper than her flesh and I cannot bear to see her suffer any longer. Hera agreed with my belief that the Amazons were best suited to mend her broken spirit."

She, at last, turned to face the Amazons, but focused on Diana specifically, who didn't quite know what to make of the look the goddess was giving her.

"She needs you, but you will need her also."

"What do you mean by that?" Artemis demanded.

"Artemis!" Philippus chided.

Hippolyta glared at the huntress for a moment before turning back to her superior. "I apologize, Aphrodite. Artemis is just concerned, as we all are, about what the outsider's arrival means exactly."

"All in due time, Hippolyta. Have faith." The goddess assured as she began to saunter away, but not before stopping and giving Diana a knowing smile. "She might surprise you."

The goddess then moved back around the column and disappeared from the throne room entirely.

"Vagueness." Morrigan scoffed. "The one trait all the gods of Olympus all have in common apart from lust and bitterness."

Hippolyta sighed. "It is simply their way of doing things. We cannot rely on them to solve all our problems for us."

"Still, her words are troubling," Leliana spoke. "We will need her?"

"That doesn't sound very comforting." Nubia thought aloud, her expression darkening.

A brief silence fell on the room, during which an image of an imprisoned, bloodthirsty god appeared in Diana's head, but she forced it back into the void where it belonged.

"Philippus and I will consult with the rest of the councilors on this matter." Hippolyta decided. "The rest of you are dismissed."

Every Amazon gave a grateful bow before turning to leave, including Diana, but she stopped when her mother called her back.

"Diana." She waited for her daughter to turn back around before continuing. "When the girl wakes, please inform us so that we can prepare to question her. You may attend when we do."

Diana smiled gratefully and bowed again. "I will, mother."

"Thank you. You may go now."

Hippolyta then allowed herself to be escorted out of the throne room by her wife, but as Diana went in another direction, her ears picked up her mothers' hushed whispers.

"You're allowing her to be present during the questioning?"

"We both know she would have found some way to attend without us knowing about it if we didn't." Hippolyta murmured. "But it might go more smoothly this way. The girl now knows firsthand that our daughter's compassion knows no bounds."

Philippus giggled. "As always, but neither does her insatiable interest in Man's World. It worries me sometimes."

"It worries me too, my love, but you heard Aphrodite's words. Whatever is coming, this outsider will play an important part. We will need every advantage we can get."

"Even if we have to use our own daughter to get it?"

"I'm not using her. This arrangement benefits us all, including her."

Philippus gave her wife a quick kiss. "I pray you are right."

 _As do I, mother._ Diana wondered as she crossed the threshold.

Aphrodite's visit replayed in her head over and over again as she trudged through the halls. What did she mean when she said the girl had suffered? For how long then? And why were the Amazons chosen to help her recover from it?

In the end, she opted to take the goddess' advice and simply have faith that everything would be revealed in time. Until her charge (there it was again) awoke, there was nothing much to do now but wait, but she didn't want to drift too far away, opting to remain in the palace for now until she was called.

So she turned a corner and began making her way to the library.

 _Perhaps I can help Alexa rearrange her books again._

(X)

 **Palace Medical Ward…**

The first thing Gwen noticed was that she was warm. Very warm.

She shifted around a little bit and sighed at the softness of whatever she was laying on before she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.

There was a strange purple light shining down on her from above, but it wasn't bothersome in any way; in fact, it felt both comforting and revitalizing. Looking off to the side next, she saw a table with a small stack of towels sitting on top, and several glass vials of varying sizes each containing a uniquely colored liquid next to that.

It was then that a gentle breeze blew into the room from the open window, and Gwen realized she wasn't wearing her costume. Looking down, she saw that she was stark naked save for a bandage wrapped around her left shoulder.

 _Oh no!_

She quickly sat up and groaned at the slight ache in her joints before reaching up and touching her cheeks with her fingertips, finding her mask gone.

 _Fantastic. They probably have it, now._

But when her fingertips brushed her cheekbones, a memory came rushing back.

She was lying on her back, with the woman from earlier leaning over her, whispering words of comfort as she gently cupped her face. Then the woman wiped Gwen's tears away and kissed her on the forehead, and in that brief moment, Gwen had felt so safe and secure that when the woman then asked her to go to sleep, she obliged without question.

 _Who was she?_

She realized was the same woman she thought was the Green Goblin, who she remembered being strong, kind, and very beautiful.

Suddenly, a small burst of warmth surged within her chest. She placed her hand over her heart and was surprised to find it beating a little faster, so she took a few deep breaths to slow it down.

 _Where did that come from?_

Then she saw her salvation; a plain white toga and three smaller bundles of cloth neatly folded on her nightstand next to a pair of sandals. Leaping out of the bed, she grabbed one of the smaller bundles and discovered it to be a pair of shorts, quickly slipping them on first. The second undergarment was clearly meant to function as a bra of some sort and slid her arms through the straps slowly to not mess up her bandage. The toga came next, and she was surprised to find that it fit her so well, almost like it was tailor-made for her. The whole outfit did, in fact.

 _Did they take my measurements while I slept?_ She thought as she wrapped the last bundle, a golden sash, around her waist.

Plopping her rear on the side of the bed, she began working on fastening the sandals when she heard the door open. Looking over her shoulder, she watched as a woman with wavy brown hair secured by a red headband entered the room carrying a tray featuring a bowl of fruit, a bottle, and a cup.

The woman's eyes widened when she saw Gwen. "Oh, hello there."

Gwen could only manage a sheepish wave. "Hi."

The woman stared for a moment longer before leaning back out the doorway. "Inform Diana that she is awake."

 _Who's Diana?_ Gwen wondered.

The woman reentered the room and shut the door behind her.

"I apologize. My name is Epione." She greeted with a smile. "Chief Physician of her majesty, Queen Hippolyta."

"Oh, so I have you to thank for this?" Gwen asked as she pointed to her bandaged shoulder.

Epione chuckled. "Yes."

"Well, thank you. I'm Gwen." The blonde then cringed when she realized her mistake.

 _Shit, I used my real name! Why does my brain always take a hike when I first see a pretty girl?_

"Hello, Gwen." Epione bowed, seemingly not noticing the girl's turmoil. "Would you like something to eat?"

Gwen eyed the tray and nodded. "Yes, please."

Epione only took one step before a sudden knock at the door made her freeze. "That was quick."

Gwen tilted her head. "Huh?"

Epione turned around yet again and opened the door, allowing yet another woman entry into the room.

Gwen almost gasped when she saw her.

Her flowing black hair, flawless fair skin, full pink lips, and bright blue eyes were easily recognizable, but now Gwen could see that there was even more to her than that. Her stature was big, more so than Epione's; Gwen had to guess that the newcomer was at least 6 feet tall, owed in part to her long, shapely legs that seemingly went on forever. Her build was also impressive; Gwen could make out signs of toned muscle wherever her turquoise tunic didn't cover her.

But then their eyes met, and Gwen forgot how to do anything else other than hold her gaze. The rest of the world started to fade away as they took in every aspect of each other's stunned expressions.

The same warmth as before reappeared in Gwen's chest, this time a little bit stronger, but the moment was cut short when Epione addressed the newcomer.

"Diana?"

"Diana" blinked before turning toward the physician. "I'm sorry?"

"Is everything alright?"

Diana turned back to Gwen for a moment. "Yes, it is." She looked at her friend with a smile and carefully took the tray from her. "I shall take it from here. You may leave if you wish."

Epione looked back and forth between the other two women in the room rather quickly before giving another bow. "Very well. Farewell, you two, and it was nice meeting you, Gwen. I hope you heal well."

"You too. Thanks again." Gwen called out to her.

Diana watched her friend leave before starting to walk toward the bed, the young blonde watching her every move.

 _Diana. Her name is Diana._ She mentally noted. _Diana…Diana…Diana._

Diana then gingerly set herself down on the bed next to Gwen, who noticed that, when both of them were sitting, her head only reached Diana's shoulders. Diana then set the tray down in-between them before taking the bottle in her hands, pouring a glass of water and offering it to Gwen.

"Are you thirsty?"

There was nothing but compassion in her eyes. How could she refuse?

"Yes, please," Gwen said as she took the cup and drank a big gulp of it. "Ah, that's the stuff. Thank you, Diana."

"You're welcome, Gwen."

The young blonde laughed. "So much for basic greetings."

"Indeed. You seem to be doing much better." Diana then looked up to the source of the purple light, and with a wave of her hand, shut it off, revealing the source to be a crystal of some sort. "The healing ray did its job remarkably well."

"Healing ray? That's what that was?"

"Yes. It is one of our greatest inventions. Anywhere the light touches on your body is revitalized at an accelerated rate."

"Is that why I woke up naked?"

She spoke it before her mind even registered it, her face flushing in embarrassment as she downed the rest of her cup. Diana regarded her for a moment, wondering why she would feel so disconcerted but decided it would be best to ease her stress.

"Yes, though I assure you Epione was professional about it to ensure you healed quickly."

"No, I believe you." Gwen recovered, trying to save face. "I was just worried that my tan line might have gotten ruined if I stayed under the light for too long."

"The healing ray does not darken skin; it only repairs it if damaged," Diana argued matter-of-factly, completely missing the quip.

 _Wow, that went right over her._

"Um, okay then. I'll remember that."

Diana leaned a bit closer. "Is there anything else you need? Anything else I can help you with?"

"Other than snacking on this yummy-looking fruit?" Gwen asked as she plopped an apple slice into her mouth. "Mmm…no thanks, I think I'm good."

"Are you certain?"

Diana's eyes bore into hers, almost as if she trying to gaze right into her very soul. Gwen gazed back, and closer inspection revealed something more than just concern in her expression, something akin to genuine fear.

The young hero suddenly felt very exposed right now, and a cold shiver ran through her as she struggled to avoid thinking about what she may or may not have been hiding from her new acquaintance.

"Y-yes." She replied as she roughly swallowed her apple slice.

She got the feeling that maybe, just maybe, Diana knew something about her that she didn't think she knew, but the moment was brief, and just as quickly as it came, it was gone as the taller woman moved off the bed and rose to her full height.

"Very well, then." Her tone almost sounded disappointed. "In that case, I must ask you to follow me to the throne room."

"Why?

"According to our laws, all new arrivals to our island are to be examined and judged by the Queen, my mother."

"Your mother?" Gwen gasped. "You're a princess?"

Princess Diana smirked down at her. "Surprised?"

The young hero practically jumped off the bed and erected her posture fully, and that's when she saw that even at her maximum height, she only reached as high as Diana's chest.

And what a chest it was.

 _Bad Gwen! She's royalty, for god's sakes. Greet her properly._

"W-well, nice to meet you, Princess Diana." She folded her hands in front of her and locked her elbows to stop them from shaking nervously.

"The pleasure is all mine." The royal assured. "We don't normally get visitors here on Themyscira."

"Themyscira?" Gwen scratched her noggin. "That sounds familiar. Where have I heard that before?"

"I promise you'll be given answers, but we really must be on our way."

"Right. Lead on then, princess."

Diana nodded and made for the door, but then paused and turned back to Gwen. "You can call me Diana if you wish."

"Oh, okay…Diana." Gwen blushed as she refolded her hands, this time behind her back.

Diana had to resist giggling at the young blonde's adorable antics, opting instead to smile and gesture towards the door. "Come."

Gwen followed Diana out of the room and into the hallway. She watched as the princess ordered the two guards stationed there to escort them to the throne room, and so they kept pace behind Gwen while she followed a few feet behind the raven-haired beauty. Diana walked with a relaxed, regal posture that Gwen admired, but it was the royal's hourglass figure she _really_ admired.

 _Focus, you perv, unless you wanna get beheaded for ogling the Queen's daughter!_

Deciding to pay attention to the sculptures and paintings lining the walls so as to not seem like a creeper, time passed by fairly quickly and the four eventually came upon a large golden door protected by two more guards who proceeded to open it when they saw them approach.

Diana gave the other pair of guards permission to return to their posts, and after they left, she spoke softly to Gwen. "Are you ready?"

Gwen took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Yeah."

The doors opened all the way and Diana led her through. As she followed behind the royal, she cast glances to the guards lining the pathway to the throne, but every time one of their intimidating stares locked onto her more reserved one, she flinched and looked away, refocusing on her guide and alternating between her and where she was leading them.

The Throne, where six women were awaiting their arrival, one with a crown atop her head sitting on the chair while holding a scepter (the Queen, obviously), another with dark skin and wearing armor similar to the guards', and four others, two on each side, each wearing a different colored robe. She recognized one of them as the same gothic woman from the lake, and next to her was a redhead holding what looked like a notepad and a quill.

 _Okay, why am I only seeing women who are all hotter than the sun? What am I missing here?_

Diana stopped at the foot of the throne and bowed. "Mother, I have brought her, as you requested."

 _So that's her mom._ Gwen observed. _They look almost exactly alike._

"Very good, Diana." The Queen spoke, a maternal smile forming on her features as she gestured to the empty space left of her seat. "Come."

The princess took one last look at Gwen and flashed her a comforting smile before making her way up the steps.

Once her daughter was in her proper place, the Queen looked back to Gwen. "Hello, little one. I am Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Welcome to Themyscira."

 _Amazons? That rings a bell._

The young blonde immediately stood at attention as the monarch went on and introduced her entourage.

"You've already met my daughter, Princess Diana…"

She then gestured to her right, "This is my wife, Philippus…"

And lastly, she waved to the other four women. "And these are my councilors."

She went silent after that, so Gwen took that as her cue. "H-hello. Your island is very beautiful."

 _Okay, not so bad._

"Thank you." Then Hippolyta's expression shifted, becoming sterner. "You were told why you were brought here, correct?"

Gwen swallowed nervously. "Yes. Some sort of 'examination'?"

"Indeed, but you must understand that we Amazons live simple, peaceful lives and wish to keep it that way, so we have some questions we would like to ask you."

"No, I get it. It's part of your job, right?" Hippolyta nodded. "But just so we're clear: this isn't going to be one of those things where I'll have to turn my head and cough, will it?"

The monarch raised an eyebrow. Apparently, she and her daughter had more in common than just good looks.

"No. Why?"

"Just wondering." She shrugged. "So, questions. What do you want to know?"

"Nothing, yet," Hippolyta said before turning toward the gothic woman and nodding.

The goth nodded back before snapping her fingers, and then Gwen looked down to see her sandals and sash both suddenly flash purple, and when she tried to move her feet and waist respectively, she found them frozen stiff.

"What?"

"Because of your strength, we felt that extra precautions were necessary."

"Precautions for what?" Gwen almost shouted as a couple of guards appeared and grabbed hold of her arms.

"To ensure that your answers will be truthful. Diana, if you would?"

Diana's eyes widened in shock, but she soon relented and retrieved a glittering, golden rope from a stand next to her and hung it from her forearm. Gwen had no choice but to watch as the princess descended the steps and approached the young blonde, a sad look on her features as she looped the rope loosely around Gwen's shoulders.

"Do not be afraid." She whispered.

Gwen gave her and incredulous look. "Should I be?"

Diana didn't answer as she moved to the side to give her mother a clearer view of the young blonde.

"Now we can begin." She declared, focusing all her attention on the now-helpless girl. "What is your name?"

The rope suddenly glowed brilliantly, and Gwen felt some type of force compel her to respond as openly and truthfully as she could.

"Gwendolyn Stacy Parker."

 _What the hell? More magic?_

"What interest does your government have in our island, Gwendolyn?" Hippolyta continued.

Gwen struggled but was quickly overpowered by the rope. "As far as I know, my government has no knowledge of your island's existence."

"Then why are you here?"

"Not by choice; I had no control over where the escape pod would crash after the ship exploded in the upper atmosphere."

As the councilors began whispering to each other, the redhead holding the notepad began to scribble down on it. Gwen figured that she was their residential court reporter because this was feeling more and more like a trial with each passing second.

"I see. Moving on, then." Hippolyta started again. "What of yourself? We have never seen a woman of your stature possess such unique abilities. How did you come to wield them?"

Gwen upped the ante and tried harder to resist, but it did no good. "I-I was bitten by a genetically enhanced spider on a trip to a science lab that gave me all the powers of one equal to my size."

The court reporter wrote that down as well, a curious look on her features. Hippolyta went silent for a moment before holding out her hand as one of the councilors placed something into it.

Gwen recognized it as her mask.

"Why do you wear a mask then?"

"To protect my identity and those of the ones closest to me."

"From what?" The monarch pressed.

"My enemies."

Hippolyta leaned forward in her seat a bit, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What enemies?"

"The kind that doesn't like it when I mess up their plans or stop them from hurting innocent people."

Hippolyta's expression softened somewhat, and Gwen noticed Diana eye her more closely now and with clear interest.

"You are saying that you are some type of vigilante who protects the helpless?" Diana asked.

"I prefer the term 'superhero', but essentially yes," Gwen confessed. Diana's expression then became very warm, approving even, and she felt her nerves calm a little because of it.

Hippolyta leaned back again and handed the mask back to the councilor who provided it. "Is that why you attacked us? You thought we were your enemies?"

"Yes." Gwen looked away in shame.

"Is that also the reason why you tried to eliminate my daughter?"

Diana's head snapped in her mother's direction, shocked that she would even ask that, but turned back to Gwen when she gave her answer.

"Y-Yes."

"Do you sincerely regret your actions against Diana and her sisters, my subjects and family?"

"Yes, I do."

She could see the sympathy in Diana's expression, and a sting started to form behind her eyes. Gwen knew that the royal had already forgiven her, but she didn't feel any better knowing that she tried to kill her.

But then the gothic councilor stepped forward, startling her Queen.

"Did you also take into account that your own life would be in danger by collapsing the cave on your supposed enemy?"

Diana gasped and whirled around to glare at the councilor. "Morrigan…"

Gwen could feel the coldness from before coming back, but worse was that now she really didn't want to answer, and the rope was pushing back harder now because of it, causing her head to thrum with pain that grew stronger the more she resisted.

"N-n-no." She admitted through gritted teeth.

Morrigan crossed her arms. "Did you even care?"

 _Damnit!_

The sting had now built into a full-on burn, and the young blonde's vision became blurry, her cheeks damp. She was shivering now and pulled out all the stops to try and fight the rope's influence, but it was all for naught.

"Gwen, stop fighting." Diana insisted. "You're hurting yourself!"

Gwen only barely registered her words, her fists clenching as sweat poured from her brow.

"Mother, stop this!"

"No!"

Diana quickly turned back to Gwen, who was breathing heavily.

"No. I didn't care, and I still don't."

The whole throne room went silent, the royals, councilors, everyone staring slack-jawed at Gwen following her confession. Morrigan retreated to her original position next to the reporter, who had stopped writing. Diana gave her mother a pleading look, and the Queen nodded, giving her daughter permission to remove the rope from the outsider's neck.

Gwen breathed deeply to recompose herself, but when Diana attempted to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, she pulled away and scowled at the royal. Diana recoiled slightly before lowering her arm.

Hippolyta then looked to each of the councilors, who all gave a single, firm nod to their Queen. She then turned back to their suspect, who stood with her head lowered while she sniffled.

"It is decided."

The monarch pushed herself off the chair and stood to her full height, the court reporter coming back to her senses and preparing to continue writing.

"Gwendolyn Stacy Parker, in light of what you have shared with us, and in consonance with both Themysciran law and the will of the gods themselves, I hereby decree that you will be shown leniency."

If Gwen was surprised, she didn't show it.

"Under normal circumstances, your actions would have resulted in your incarceration, but we cannot fault you for being ignorant of what Morrigan's fruit would do to your mind and what followed. Therefore, your transgressions are pardoned, but only under the condition that you remain on Themyscira as our guest until your wounds, both physical and spiritual, are healed."

She then slammed the butt of her staff on the ground, the impact resounding throughout the room. "Let it be so."

"Let it be so!" The councilors echoed.

"Have you anything to say before we conclude?" The monarch inquired of her guest.

But Gwen kept staring at the floor, too broken to even wipe her own tears, and Diana's heart broke at the sight.

"Gwen?"

Her soft voice finally got a reaction out of her charge.

"C-can I go now?" The young blonde whimpered.

With one look, Diana begged her mother to end this trial, and Hippolyta agreed.

"Yes, you may." She commanded Morrigan to remove the spell around Gwen's sandals and sash, which she did with another snap of her fingers, allowing the young blonde to move again. "Two of our guards will…"

" **I** will escort her to her living quarters." Diana insisted, ignoring her mother's aghast expression.

"…Very well, then. They are in the east wing." The monarch conceded as she sat back down. "This trial is concluded."

(X)

 **East Wing…**

The councilors began to file out of the room, the court reporter following after Morrigan, but Diana paid them all no heed as she gently guided Gwen, still crying, back into the hallway and toward her designated place of residence. She kept one arm around the smaller woman's shoulder and guided her by the hand with the other, and she only spoke to her to tell her which turn to make as they navigated through the palace. Diana would also try to console her charge along the way, asking if she was alright on a few occasions, but she was ignored each time, so she gave up and focused on getting to their destination instead.

Soon enough, they arrived at Gwen's room. Diana opened the door and ushered her charge inside, making a beeline for the bed and sitting the smaller woman down upon it. Once she was seated, Diana stood a few feet away, unsure of how to proceed as Gwen sat there motionless, still looking downward at nothing.

"Gwen?" Still no reply. "Gwen, I am so sorry. Nobody expected Morrigan to ask you those questions. It was never our intent to cause you more pain. Would you like to…talk to me?"

Her charge remained as a statue, and after waiting for over a minute for her to do something, Diana sighed, resigning herself to being rejected.

"If you need me, you only need to ask."

She turned and began walking away, her vision growing cloudy before she heard a soft voice coming from behind her.

"The Amazons."

Diana whirled around to find Gwen looking up at her with bloodshot eyes. "I'm sorry?"

"The Amazons of Themyscira, the island from Greek myth. That's where I am now, huh?"

Diana reluctantly took a couple steps closer to the bed. She had expected the girl to give some sort of angry outburst or crude remark about what happened earlier, but not this.

"Yes. So you have heard of us?"

"During one of my classes on world history and cultures, yeah." The blonde explained as she wiped her eyes.

The princess reached the bedside, hesitated, and then slowly sat down. "Yet you don't seem so shocked to be residing in a country of legend."

"Eh, wouldn't be the first time," Gwen said with a shrug.

The tension in the air finally started to ease, so Diana kept going. "You've been to other such places?"

"Atlantis. Asgard. Hell, I've even traveled through time and across space before, too. ~I've been everywhere, man~." She finished in a musical tone, ending with a brief, albeit somewhat forced giggle.

Diana saw right through it. _She's trying to distract herself._

"Gwen…" She leaned in closer again, just like earlier. "Do you want to talk about what happened earlier?"

She noticed Gwen's pupils dilate as she sucked in a breath, guessing correctly that it was her body's reaction to her putting up barriers between herself and others.

"N-no thanks." She insisted. "I just…I need some time alone."

That wasn't a good idea. Behind the vigilante's bloodshot eyes, Diana could see a torrent of pent up emotional pain that was desperate to get out. Some of it managed to leak out earlier in the throne room, but only a small amount, and while Diana's warrior half wanted to just burst the dam and get it over with, her more compassionate side compelled her to take her time and help ease the relief of Gwen's inner turmoil bit by bit.

"Are you sure you-?"

"Yes." Gwen interrupted, raising her voice slightly. "Please, I'd like to go to sleep now."

The princess did not want to depart from Gwen when she was in such a broken state but also didn't want to put any more pressure on her either. Still, she felt she had to leave Gwen with something, so she carefully placed her hand over the blonde's and whispered to her tenderly.

"Then as you sleep, know that I am here for you. We all are." Gwen stared at her through watery eyes, and Diana smiled right back before squeezing her hand gently. "Goodnight."

Without saying a word, Diana got up from the bed, turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her. Afterward, she leaned back against it and listened, detecting nothing at first, before the sad sound of Gwen's uncontrollable sobbing came through.

Diana placed her hand over her heart, a strange warmth having mysteriously appeared within. She so desperately wanted to storm back in there, embrace her charge and speak words of comfort to her but forced herself to resist. She wanted to prove to Gwen that she could be trusted, for if she wasn't, all her efforts to help her recover would be meaningless, so as much as she didn't want to, she had to at least obey her request for some privacy.

She remained idle until Gwen's sobbing gradually faded into slow breathing, signifying that she'd cried herself to sleep at last. At that point, Diana reversed her position and leaned her forehead against the wood of the entryway.

Closing her eyes, the Amazonian Princess whispered a prayer for the broken soul sleeping only several feet away.

She prayed that whatever had caused Gwen to devalue her own life to such a degree would be discovered and removed from the girl's very being.

She prayed that her charge would accept Diana's friendship and grow to trust her more and more.

She prayed that Gwen's heart would be opened so Diana could enter in and mend the broken pieces.

Only after she spoke the Amazonian equivalent of "amen" did she determine that she had lingered for too long and took her leave, heading to her chambers for a good night's rest, for come tomorrow, Gwen's rehabilitation would begin, and Diana fully intended to be by her side every step of the way.

No matter how long it took.

(X)

 **The Solitary Dungeon…**

Somewhere, in an excluded part of the island, a lone Amazon weaved her way through the jungle until she came upon a door leading to an underground chamber beneath a large rock, her post for the rest of the evening. Here she would remain until sunrise, with Themyscira's one and only prisoner.

Who also happened to be her secret lover.

She knocked thrice upon the door and then waited patiently for the guard to recognize her through the window. She then opened the door and dismissed her sister for the evening, shutting it after she was gone and locking it in place. She watched and waited for the previous guard to disappear into the foliage before approaching the solid steel door at the very back of the room. She then peered through the bars of the small opening and scanned the darkness on the other side for its sole resident.

"I have come."

She barely had to wait a moment before she heard footsteps moving across the stone floor of the cell, and then a pair of dull white eyes obstructed by scraggly silver hair manifested on the other side of the bars, inches from her own.

"Like you always do." He spoke in a soft, alluring tone, making her smile.

"I bring news: a new outsider has appeared on the island."

"I know." Even with no irises, she could see the excitement in his eyes.

"You do?"

"I can taste her suffering from here." He smacked his lips. "The loneliness. The fear. The self-loathing. It is delectable, but also a shame that I cannot draw strength from it thanks to these accursed bands."

His menacing growl stirred primal urges within her, but she remained strong.

"Yes, and Hippolyta has allowed her to remain on the island for the foreseeable future, at least until her suffering ends."

"Interesting." His blank eyes shown with mirth. "The last time an outsider came, I was almost set free."

"You believe there is a connection?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"I believe this is a sign, my dear." He chuckled darkly, anticipation brewing in his very core. "A sign pointing to freedom."

The Amazon slipped her fingers through the bars and stroked his cheek with the tips. "For both of us."

"Yes." His own fingers brushed hers affectionately. "And not soon enough."

(X)

 **A/N:**

Wow. This was interesting to write. My goal was to display how broken Gwen was and Diana's caring nature and dedication to helping her heal. But what brought the young Spider-Girl to such a lowly state? All will be revealed, just have patience.

As always, please leave a comment/review. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.

Till next time!


	4. Chapter 3

Needless to say, the following morning was not easy for Gwen. When she finally opened her still stinging eyes, it took her almost half an hour to muster up the will to even move. Mental exhaustion aside, her whole body felt like it was made of lead, her muscles protesting as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Groaning, she ran her hand through her hair and found the strands to be slick and mildly greasy to the touch. Her tunic clung to her clammy skin, the sheets smelled like sweat, and her dry lips tasted extremely salty.

All in all, she was a mess in more ways than one; an average morning for Gwen Stacy Parker.

 _Why do I even bother getting up anymore?_

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

"Gwen?" Came a soft, familiar voice from the other side of the door. "It's me, Diana. Are you awake?"

 _Uh oh._

"Um, yeah," she rasped, coughing to clear her throat. "Just a minute."

Her stiff joints protested as she climbed out of bed and made her way over to a mirror on the far wall. On the candlelit counter beneath it sat a brass basin filled with crystal clear water that she found to be very warm upon dipping her fingers in it. Another display of Amazonian magic, she guessed. But then she looked up and saw her reflection, her bloodshot eyes standing out along with her tear-stained cheeks and messy blonde mane.

 _Check, check, aaaand check. Ugh, I can't let her see me like this._

She quickly submerged her hands in the water and splashed it on her face before doing the same to her hair and smoothing it out as best she could. It would have to do. Only when she was finished straightening out her tunic did she approach the door. She gently wrapped her fingers around the knob, and after steadying herself with a deep breath turned it and pulled.

Diana's warm eyes and bright smile were there to greet her. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too," Gwen responded and delightedly as she could, noticing that the princess had elected to wear a red tunic today as opposed to her equally lovely turquoise one from the day before. But by the time she looked back up, Diana's smile had faded and her gaze had become more analytical.

"Did you sleep well last night?" She asked. "You seem… fatigued."

"Oh, you don't say," Gwen bit back, sighing when she realized how bitter she sounded. "I'm sorry; yesterday was… well, it was rough."

"It's quite alright; I understand."

There was something about her voice that made Gwen believe she honestly meant it, but the young blonde's contemplation was interrupted by her stomach growling quite loudly. Diana smirked knowingly, while Gwen placed a hand over her belly and turned to hide her blush.

"Sooo… is it time for breakfast yet?"

"I'm afraid breakfast has already passed," the princess apologized. "I came earlier in the morning to wake you beforehand, but my attempts to rouse you proved fruitless, so I let you be."

"Oh," Gwen bit her lip, recalling what happened the first time someone tried to forcibly wake her after she got her powers. "Um, when you tried to get me up, by any chance did I happen to… kick you in the head subconsciously?"

"Yes, while lying on your stomach, no less," Diana recalled mirthfully while tapping her noggin. "It was a good display of flexibility on your part."

"You haven't seen anything yet."

Diana raised an eyebrow at Gwen's borderline flirtatious statement, while the latter fought to maintain control of the heat rising in both her cheeks and chest. She didn't mean to make things awkward so quickly, but the words just flowed so naturally when it came to the raven-haired beauty in front of her that she couldn't help it.

 _Goddamnit, brain._

"I shall take your word for it," Diana said, at last, breaking the silence. "In any event, since my mothers' scheduled lunch period is still over an hour away, I thought it would be best if I took you to see Epione to get your injury inspected first."

"That sounds like a good idea," the webslinger raised her arm to get a better look at the bandages, only to wince when she caught a whiff of her own scent. "Ugh, and maybe we could hit the showers afterward? I smell like a locker room at a summertime sumo arena."

"I assume you mean that you wish to take a bath?" The royal scrunched her face at her charge's mildly-pungent odor, who nodded sheepishly. "That would be wise."

"Well, a wise Vulcan once said, 'what is necessary is never _unwise_ '."

"I've never heard of a 'Vulcan' before," Diana stated.

 _Right, my references have no power here._

"Don't worry about it; they don't actually exist," She grinned at how confused the taller woman looked. "Anywho, we don't want to keep the good doctor waiting."

"Of course," Diana agreed as she made room for Gwen to step through the door. "Right this way."

(X)

Thankfully, Epione managed to complete her checkup rather quickly. Upon removing the covering on Gwen's shoulder, the chief physician was astounded to find that the cut had healed completely without even leaving a scar. Gwen then elaborated that her spider-like abilities included the gift of accelerated healing, and that coupled with the magic of the purple healing ray allowed for a rather swift recovery, something all three women were grateful for.

Once that was over and done, Diana began leading her guest through the palace toward the washrooms as planned. Soon, they came upon a large white curtain with gold tassels on the edges acting as a doorway, Diana explaining that it was specifically designed to prevent any heat from escaping out into the hall. She then moved the curtain to the side a little ways, and Gwen felt an immediate rush of warm air accompanied by the sweet scent of flowers and fruit billow out. Closing her eyes, she sighed in contentment and then gratefully allowed the princess to usher her inside.

She about gasped when she first laid eyes on where she would be maintaining her personal hygiene for the foreseeable future. The washroom was also made of flawless marble like the rest of the castle, so flawless, in fact, that she could almost see her reflection on it wherever she went. There were a grand total of three baths inside, each built into the floor itself, the largest being in the very center of the room while the other two smaller ones were off by the right and back walls respectively. At each corner of the largest bath was a column that stretched all the way to the ceiling, and hanging from that, directly above the water, was a large, candlelit chandelier that bathed the whole room in warm, golden light.

"Holy Toledo," Gwen murmured, awestruck as she breathed in the soothing steam and pleasant smells that filled the chamber.

"I assume 'Toledo' is one of your gods?" Diana spoke up from right next to her, shaking the young blonde free from her trance.

"Um, no; it's just an expression," she clarified. "But seriously, this place is amazing! Like, how do those candles even stay lit with all the moisture in the air?"

"A simple enchantment Morrigan placed on them some time ago."

"Morrigan," Gwen repeated, recalling the gothic woman from the trial. "You mean the one who made me confess my… issues in front of everyone?"

"Yes," Diana's eyes narrowed slightly. "I still need to have a talk with her about that."

"So do I. But for right now," she paused to stretch her arms over her head. "I'm ready for a good ol' fashioned soak in the tub!"

Diana's smile returned as she witnessed her charge's enthusiasm. "I will go retrieve some towels and soap. Feel free to pick whichever bath you wish."

She then proceeded to exit the chamber through a passage on the left wall that probably led to the supply closet, if Gwen could guess. Walking over to the largest bath, Gwen removed her sandals and then dipped her toe in the water and found it to be the perfect temperature; hot, but not uncomfortably so. Double-checking her surroundings to make sure she was alone, she proceeded to quickly remove her tunic, her undergarments following suit at an even faster pace. She set both of them down in a neat-ish pile next to the tub and then stepped down into the bath.

Her whole body tingled as the water enveloped her, but just as quick as it came, it faded to make room for soothing warmth. Her muscles relaxed almost instantly as she let out a contented sigh, and after quickly dunking her head in the water she rested her back against the side of the tub. The water only reached as high as the base of her neck, so she wasn't concerned about getting any in her mouth or nose as she closed her eyes and breathed in the steamy air. She enjoyed about thirty seconds of relaxation before she heard footsteps approaching.

"Is the water to your liking?"

"Oh yeah," Gwen answered calmly as Diana placed two towels along with a small tray of bottles on the floor next to the bath.

"I'm glad. Give me a moment and I'll join you."

Gwen's eyes shot open as her ears picked up the rustling of fabric. To confirm her suspicions, and completely against her better judgement, she peeked over her shoulder to see what Diana was up to.

 _She isn't seriously going to strip right here andOH MY GOD, WHERE DOES SHE KEEP THOSE?_

Gwen could see everything. EVERYTHING.

Her body temperature suddenly spiked, and not because of the water.

She watched as the nude princess gracefully descended into the bath and disappeared beneath the surface, only to reemerge moments later and throw her hair back to remove the excess water. Her bare upper body glistened in the light of the chandelier as she sat back against the wall of the pool a few feet away from Gwen. The difference in height between the princess and her charge was made apparent once more, as the water only went up to the bottom of Diana's _very_ generous bust, while Gwen was submerged from her neck down.

"This is lovely, is it not?" Diana asked, her eyes closed in bliss. "I always look forward to coming here every day."

Gwen, still staring in awe of the princess's beauty, could only manage a small squeak from the back of her throat in response.

Diana opened her eyes again and looked at the smaller woman in confusion. "Gwen, is everything alright? You seem flushed."

The young blonde startled and covered her chest on impulse.

 _Crap, what do I tell her?_

 _Tell her she's scalding hot, you idiot!_

 _I don't want to make this more awkward!_

 _What you_ _ **do**_ _want is for her to crush your head in-between those amazing thighs of hers._

 _I do not._

 _Like sparrow's egg._

 _Shaddup!_

"I-I'm fine," she answered meekly. "I'm just not used to public bathing."

The princess tilted her head. "Do you feel embarrassed?"

Gwen bit her lip again and looked away. "A little."

She half-expected the royal to give her something of a lecture about Amazonian customs and how Gwen was to respect them while living on their island, but that wasn't the case. She instead felt the water shift slightly followed by a warm hand resting itself on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Diana giving her an apologetic expression that made her heart ache.

"I'm sorry. I had forgotten that the ways of Man's World are different from ours and did not consider how something so minor in our eyes could affect you."

"No no, it's okay," Gwen urged. "You didn't know how I felt about it, I didn't know how _you_ felt about it, but now we do. It'll take some getting used to, but I don't want you to feel bad for trying to make me comfortable."

Both women smiled at each other, but then Gwen realized that 1) she had stopped covering her own chest and 2) now one her hands rested on top of Diana's. They stared at one another for a moment before deciding to pull away, but not before Diana gave her charge's shoulder a quick, gentle squeeze that Gwen returned immediately.

"Um, we should probably get cleaned up."

"Indeed; we do not want to be late."

Diana then reached over and grabbed two bottles from the tray, offering one to Gwen while explaining that it was some form of moisturizing body wash. Gwen took it, and after hesitating for a brief moment decided to bite the bullet and get started. She lifted herself out of the water slightly so she could start applying the body wash to her face, neck, and chest. However, her progress was slowed as she kept sneaking glances to her to view the princess performing her own cleansing routine without a care in the world, only to turn away just as quickly when she felt her guilt prick at her.

 _Stop it, just stop! This can't happen again. Just don't let your mind wander and this will all be over soon._

After making sure the less… private areas of her body were treated, she placed the moisturizer back on the tray and reached for the shampoo next.

"Nubia," Diana said all of the sudden.

 _Huh?_

She followed Diana's line of sight back towards the entrance and spotted three more Amazons entering the chamber. The leader, standing in the middle, had the same height and stature as Diana; in fact, she almost looked like a carbon copy of the princess, but her skin was a deep brown color and her face had a very strong resemblance to Queen Hippolyta's wife, Philippus, if Gwen's memory was any indicator. The woman on the right was the smallest of the bunch, just a few inches shorter than her dark-skinned companion, and had long, flowing blonde hair that reached to her back. The one on the left was the tallest and most muscle-bound of the group, with brown hair held back by an orange bandanna around her forehead, and dressed in something akin to overalls.

Which she then began to unfasten as the other two went about doing the same to their tunics.

 _Uh oh._

She quickly pressed herself against the side of the tub and lowered herself deeper into the water up to her chin, hoping that the three newcomers would choose one of the other tubs to get into. But, as their footsteps got louder and louder, that hope was quickly dashed.

"Hello Diana," one of them said. "We finished practice a little early today and decided that a good bath was in order before lunch."

"That's nice," Diana said, but Gwen picked up on the edge of nervousness in her voice. "But you must know…"

"One moment."

"Nubia, wai-"

SPLASH

 _SpaghettiOs!_

The water lightly splashed her face as the chocolate-colored woman made herself comfortable right between her and Diana. Her eyes were closed as she leaned back and propped her elbows up on the side of the tub, giving Gwen another bountiful bosom to gawk at.

"Ah, lovely," Nubia sighed, before opening her eyes and turning to the princess. "Now, what seems to be the problem? You seem unsettled."

Diana cringed before pointing passed her sibling. "Well…"

Nubia followed as directed, and her expression brightened upon seeing the smaller blonde woman neck-deep in the water right next to her.

"Oh hello there, little one. I was not aware you'd be joining us today," she then gracefully extended her hand. "I am Nubia, Diana's twin sister."

 _Twin?_

Swallowing, Gwen shook it. "N-nice to meet you, Boob-I mean Nubia. I'm Gwen."

"A pleasure, Gwen. Although we have met before, unofficially."

"Really?"

"Yes, don't you remember?"

"Um…"

SPLASH, SPLASH

Gwen jumped when the other two Amazons joined them in the water at last. The taller blonde made herself comfortable in one of the corners, while the hulking brown-haired one settled in right on Gwen's other side opposite of Nubia. Now that she was closer, the wallcrawler noticed a gold earring on her left ear, and that she had splotches of black soot all over her olive skin.

"Who are you talking to?" The grime-covered lady asked of Nubia.

"Why our guest, of course," Nubia stated.

Diana then leaned forward enough so she could get a clear view of the smaller blonde. "Gwen, this is Io, Chief Blacksmith of Themyscira. She forges and maintains all of our weapons, armor, and equipment."

Io smiled proudly as Gwen tentatively shook her hand as well. "Greetings, little one."

"Hello."

 _Just looking at her makes me want to break out and sing The Commodores greatest hits!_

"And this," the royal gestured to the other blonde further down. "Is Mala, Lieutenant in the Royal Guard."

As Mala was too far away for a handshake, Gwen opted to simply wave at her. But Mala's visage remained stoic as she nodded back without saying a word, so Gwen sheepishly lowered her hand back under the water.

"In any event, Io was the one who built the hammer I used when you and I fought," Nubia went on.

Gwen's mind flashed back to her brawl with Bullseye and the Rhino by the edge of the cliff. Although now she was aware that it wasn't actually them thanks to some spell placed on her mind after eating those grapes affecting her perception of reality.

"The hammer," she realized. "That was you?"

"Yes, it was."

"Look, about that day… I am truly sorry. I thought you were… someone else, someone bad."

"Don't apologize," Nubia assured, but then she leaned in closer to Gwen, who backed up slightly until she felt her back press against Io's side, leaving her trapped as Diana's twin began trailing her fingers up her bicep. "You provided a most unique challenge. I am _very_ eager to face you again under more ideal circumstances."

"Nubia…" Diana warned, sensing Gwen's growing discomfort.

"Oh, don't be so uptight, sister dear," Reaching back, she wrapped her arm around Gwen and pulled the smaller woman into her side. "I am merely inviting our guest to partake in one of our oldest customs. If she is going to live here for a while then she should at least be aware of it, would you not agree?"

Gwen, meanwhile, was struggling to understand how the bath water was not currently boiling over because of how hot she had become. The reason being that, thanks to the size difference between her and Nubia, her cheek was now pressed firmly into the dark woman's side-boob, and all her attempts to pull herself away were fruitless thanks to her captor's incredible strength keeping her in place. The blush on her cheeks spread to the rest of her face, then down to her neck and chest, having increased along with her unease over this whole situation.

It was becoming too much, but luckily she had a way out.

 _Camouflage, bitches!_

Nubia's merriment evaporated instantly when she saw her twin's shocked expression, following her gaze to where Gwen was supposed to be. Weirdly enough, she saw only an empty space, but the sensation of Gwen's warm skin against her own was still there.

"What is this?" She asked nobody in particular.

Diana watched with amusement as the water next to Nubia suddenly exploded, causing her twin to flinch, followed by the sound of rapid, wet footfalls across the floor. She turned just in time to see another big splash in the bathtub on the other side of the room, and then everything was deathly quiet.

"Gwen?" The princess called out.

"I'm fine," her charge answered back, raising her hand high enough so Diana could see her wave. "I'll just finish over here."

"But you still need to shampoo your hair," she lifted the appropriate bottle to emphasize her point…

THWIP

Which was then promptly yanked out of her hand by a strand of spider-silk launched from Gwen's wrist.

"Thanks. Be done in a jiffy!"

Gwen went silent afterward, the four Amazons only detecting the sounds of small splashes as their guest finished her cleaning ritual. As for Diana, she couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment over the fact that her quality time with Gwen had been cut short so abruptly. They had just begun to reach an understanding of each other on a small level when Nubia and her friends had, whether intentionally or not, interrupted them, and in light of this development, her annoyance with her twin sister multiplied more than it had in recent times.

"Oh, something tells me her time on our island is going to be _very_ interesting," Nubia laughed, but then frowned when she noticed Diana scowling at her. "What?"

"Nevermind," she would talk about it with Nubia later, but right now, they still had a schedule to keep.

(X)

Gwen finished her bath first and then waited out in the hall for Diana and the others to finish. After Io and Mala excused themselves so they could return to their homes for lunch, the twins then led their guest further into the palace and into what could only be the dining hall. The biggest clue was the long, ornate table where various fruits, vegetables, cooked meats, and sliced bread had been placed across its length. Another candlelit chandelier hung from above, this one bigger than its counterpart in the washroom, and a few more candles were strewn across the table and walls in between what few paintings there were.

The overall atmosphere was very warm and welcoming, surpassed only by the bright smile that shown on Queen Hippolyta's face as she and Philippus stood up from their seats at the head of the table upon noticing their daughters' arrival.

"Daughters, we are so glad you could make it."

"And you brought the little one," Philippus grinned. "Finally woke up, I see,"

Gwen blushed again but still managed a slight bow. "Thank you for inviting me to eat with you, your majesty."

"No need to thank me, child," Hippolyta insisted. "Now come, let us eat."

Gwen followed behind Diana as she approached the head of the table and sat right next to Hippolyta. Gwen stood still, unsure of where she should sit until Diana gestured to the seat right next to her with a smile. Gently plopping down, she began grabbing bits and pieces of whatever was in reach, her plate filling quickly as Diana did the same. Once she was satisfied with her selection, which excluded grapes of _all_ varieties, she began spreading butter on a piece of bread when the doors opened again.

In strode two redheads. The taller one was clad in leather armor that covered everything save for her head, biceps and thighs, and a cute little braid draping down the left side of her shorter crimson locks. The smallest of the pair was dressed in a white and gold tunic, and her hair ran down past her shoulders. It wasn't until Gwen saw the notepad and quill slung under her arm that she recognized her as the same court reporter from yesterday.

"Alexa, Leliana, what a pleasant surprise," Hippolyta greeted the newcomers.

Both women bowed to their queen, but the tallest spoke first, her voice thick with some type of accent that Gwen couldn't pinpoint. "We apologize for arriving unexpectedly."

"Nonsense; you came at just the right time. Please join us."

The two moved to opposite sides of the table, the tallest eyeing Gwen as she went. The young hero met her gaze, but the sound of the chair next to her being pulled out from under the table redirected her attention to her left, where the other crimson-haired woman had taken her seat next to her.

"Gwen," Hippolyta began. "The woman next to you is Alexa, the most talented scribe and historian on our island."

Alexa set down her notepad and eagerly shook Gwen's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Gwen."

"Likewise, Alexa."

Hippolyta then gestured to the leather-clad lady. "And her companion is my most skilled assassin and spymaster, Leliana."

"A pleasure, little one," Leliana said with a quick bow.

 _There's that name again,_ Gwen mentally noted.

"Why are you eating here and not your usual place, Leliana?" Nubia asked her friend.

"As you are aware, my liege, the training grounds have been… intense the last few days," she answered. "So Alexa suggested I come along with her to get away from it all, at least for a little while."

"Why?" Gwen chimed in. "What's been going on?"

"Artemis hasn't had the best attitude for the last couple of days," Nubia clarified. "Several of her own comrades have felt the worst of it whenever she trains with them."

"Why is she so upset, though?"

"It is because of the humiliating defeat she suffered at your hands," Alexa revealed. "My older sister sadly does not take loss very well."

"I can attest to that," Diana added

"Wait, your older sister?" Gwen echoed with a head tilt.

She watched as Alexa pulled her own hair back into a ponytail, the image triggering Gwen's memories of the first group of Amazons she encountered upon her arrival, specifically their leader.

"The woman whose sword I took," the webslinger thought aloud. "That's Artemis, huh?"

"Correct," Alexa nodded before releasing her crimson locks, which, as they fell, obscured a small mark on her neck that Gwen noticed, but made no mention of. "When she feels that she is ready, she will challenge you to a rematch."

"Do I have any choice in the matter?" Gwen asked, looking to Diana for answers.

"Technically yes, but Artemis is a… special case," the royal explained. "She is very persistent when it comes to getting even with those who manage to defeat her in combat, especially in such an embarrassing way as how you did."

"So there's no point in saying 'no' then, huh?" Gwen frowned. "I _have_ to fight her again, sooner or later?"

"Preferably later," Diana declared. "Although perhaps I could teach you some techniques so you are better prepared when the time comes."

Gwen considered her offer. Diana had already done so much for her in just a couple of days, and so she didn't want to give the impression that she was taking advantage of her generosity but quickly dismissed that thought as immature. And considering that she would be going up against a warrior woman with a grudge, it would be helpful to have someone supporting her throughout the endeavor.

Especially if that person was Diana.

"Sounds good," she beamed. "When do we start?"

The princess was a little taken aback, looking away in thought for a moment. "Well, how does tomorrow sound? I could take you down to the training grounds after breakfast."

"That would be unwise, my dear," Hippolyta spoke up. "In her current emotional state, if Artemis were to see her out in public, she would challenge Gwen the moment she noticed her."

"I would advise using the training room here in the castle, as well as avoiding anywhere Artemis likes to spend her free time," Philippus suggested.

"I concur," Nubia proclaimed, focusing on Gwen. "I look forward to seeing the little one prove herself against one of our best."

Hearing her nickname _yet again_ caused Gwen's emotions to spike and her palms to slam on the surface of the table, rattling her plate and silverware.

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Looking around, she saw their stunned expressions and promptly sunk into her seat. "I-I'm sorry, your highness."

"It's quite alright, child," Hippolyta chuckled. "Your reaction is perfectly understandable. In fact, this gives us an opportunity to explain the first of our many customs to you."

"You mean 'little one'?"

"Indeed. Simply put, that moniker is given specifically to the smallest woman on our island."

Gwen blinked. "The smallest?"

"It is a tradition we began shortly after Themyscira was founded purely for the sake of good fun," the queen paused to take a bite of meat.

"Really?"

"Yes," Alexa piped up. "I held the moniker for a long while, but when Diana and Nubia came to be it fell to both of them until they came of age, then it went back to me. And now here you are three thousand years later, Gwen, the newest recipient of the title."

 _Wait, what does she mean by Diana and Nubia 'came to be'?_

"Um, you're welcome?"

"Thank you," and then the historian went back to eating. "Although I would be lying if I said I wouldn't miss it."

Gwen patted the redhead on her shoulder. "I'll take good care of it. Don't you worry."

"Now that that is settled," Hippolyta started, dabbing her mouth clean with a napkin. "Let us move on to the true purpose of this meeting. Gwen?"

The webslinger straightened her posture immediately upon being addressed. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Would you mind sharing a little about yourself with us?

Gwen felt her own teeth clench. _Oh, like yesterday?_

She mentally cursed herself for thinking that and shrank in her eat once more, focusing her gaze on her plate. But Diana, somehow privy to her charge's inner turmoil, set down the apple she picked up and lightly touched Gwen's shoulder again like earlier, causing the small blonde to turn back to her.

"You only have to share what you are comfortable with," the tall beauty assured, her soft declaration easing Gwen's nerves.

"No lasso?"

"No lasso."

"Thank you," Gwen sighed in relief, her spirits restoring as she sat up straighter. "So, who would like to go first?"

Practically everyone except Diana opened their mouths to ask whatever was on their minds, but Nubia beat them all to it.

"Your spider-like abilities," she began, leaning forward in her seat eagerly. "I am eager to know how you came to possess them."

Gwen noticed how all the women Nubia interrupted took a moment to glare at their Amazonian comrade, so she figured it would be best to answer the question and put all the attention on herself before things potentially got out of hand.

"Well, as I said yesterday, I got them during a field trip to a science lab when I was fifteen years old. One of the spiders they did genetic experiments on escaped confinement and bit me on my hand before jumping on my friend Peter and doing the same to him, then it got squashed. We both got really sick afterward and passed out, but when we woke up we discovered that those bites gave each of us all of its powers."

"And how long ago did that occur?" Alexa asked.

"Ten years," and then, acting on impulse, Gwen flipped onto the back of her chair before jumping onto the ceiling, smiling at the amazed expressions of everyone still seated at the table. "Ten years of crawling on walls, swinging webs and being a superhero."

The other women watched in awe. Alexa, meanwhile, picked up her notepad and began excitedly writing her observations on it.

"Incredible," Leliana murmured.

"What of this 'Peter'?" Diana had to raise her voice a little so it would carry to the ceiling. "Did he choose the same path as you? That of a hero?"

"We both did," the small blonde nodded as she descended back into her seat. "Together, we became the dynamic duo of New York City: the Spectacular Spider-Girl and the Amazing Spider-Man! It would irritate him to no end whenever I told everyone that he was my sidekick, not 'partner'."

"As it should be," Philippus said, but Gwen couldn't tell whether she was joking or not.

"You two sound very close," Leliana observed.

"Well, yeah," Gwen shrugged. "We're family; we've always looked out for each other."

"Family?" Alexa echoed. "But you said he was merely your 'friend'."

"Back when the sider bite happened, yes. But a little while after that I was adopted by his aunt and uncle, making him my cousin."

"But what of your mother and father?" Diana's concern did not go unnoticed.

Gwen took a deep breath. "My mother died in childbirth, and my father… he died shortly after I got my powers. Ben and May took me in afterward with open arms."

"How did your father die?" The princess asked softly.

"H-he… I… I don't…" Gwen stammered, unable to give proper voice to her thoughts and feelings.

"If you are not comfortable answering, you do not have to," Diana reminded her charge. "Forgive me for asking."

"No no, it's okay," Gwen replied quietly before drinking from her cup of water to soother her now sore throat. "I'm just… I'm not ready to talk about it yet."

 _They'd hate you if you did._

Thankfully, the subject of her deceased parents was ultimately abandoned for the time being, because while Diana went back to her food, Alexa got Gwen's attention next by tapping her on her other shoulder.

"A thought has struck me; are there any more heroes out in Man's World like you and your cousin?"

"Not _exactly_ like me and Peter, no. There are hundreds of different heroes from all sorts of backgrounds throughout the world."

It took all Alexa had to not bounce in her seat. "Hundreds?"

"Oh yeah. Sorcerers, aliens, warrior kings, or just regular people who got lucky like Pete and me, you name it. We've gotten to know a lot of them and saved the world alongside them several times."

"This is amazing," Alexa exclaimed, furiously scribbling down more notes. "I must add this to my other findings. I will see you all later."

She then hugged her notepad to her chest and bolted out of the room like a child on Christmas morning. Gwen watched her go in mild shock, but other women in the room shook their heads mirthfully, having gotten used to the historian's antics over the last few thousand years.

"Um, what did she mean by 'other findings'?"

"We will show you at a later time," Hippolyta said. "For now, back to the topic at hand. Surely you did not spend all the time available to you being a 'hero', as you say."

"Nope," Gwen verified. "I was only a teenager when I became Spider-Girl, so I still had a lot of other things to worry about, like school mostly."

"School?" Philippus wondered aloud.

"Oh, my education," Gwen explained.

"What were you studying?" Diana followed up.

The young blonde suddenly felt very nervous. "How to be a… a singer. I wanted to be one since I was a little girl."

"A singer?" Leliana gasped in pure joy. "How wonderful! My mother taught me how to sing when I was a child."

"May perhaps the two of you could perform together sometime in the near future?" Hippolyta suggested.

Gwen's nervousness increased tenfold at the thought. "N-no… I-I mean… I appreciate the offer, your majesty, b-but I haven't sung in quite a while."

"And why not?" Diana inquired, sensing the dread now permeating around her charge. "Did you lose interest?"

"N-no," Gwen forced out, her throat tightening again. "I just… I lost my muse."

Diana noticed a single tear streak down Gwen's face and pointed it out to her. The young hero quickly wiped it away and apologized before going back to eating her food quietly. The princess then turned back to her mother, asking for assistance through a mere look. Hippolyta shook her head, and she got the message. Clearing her throat, she quickly came up with something else to say to hopefully pull Gwen back from dwelling on her clearly troublesome past.

"Amazonian lore has several accounts of great heroes. As a child, Mother would tell them to me every night as she tucked me into bed."

She succeeded, as Gwen now had her full attention. "What about your father?"

To her surprise, Nubia laughed out loud at that question, nearly doubling over in her chair. Gwen watched her with an eyebrow raised until she forced herself to calm down several moments later.

"Oh, forgive me," the dark-skinned warrior chortled. "But no one has ever asked us that question before."

"I'm sorry, but I'm completely lost," Gwen puzzled.

"It is really quite simple, little one," Nubia cackled, wiping the mirthful tears from her eyes. "Neither Diana nor I have a father."

"… What?"

"Perhaps an explanation is in order," Hippolyta stated, setting her silverware down and folding her hands in her lap. "You are aware of the Twelve Olympians, yes?"

"You mean the gods of Greek mythology?" Gwen asked, listening keenly to the tale about to unfold.

"They are no myth, I assure you," the queen continued. "And the fiercest and most bloodthirsty of them all was Ares, the god of war. Over three thousand years ago, he descended upon the world to instigate what he dubbed 'The Ultimate War.' He knew the other gods would oppose him, so he first sought to weaken them by eliminating their allies and supporters, starting with those of his sister Aphrodite."

"His first target was the island of Amazonia, our original home," Philippus went on. "At the time, Ares' army was too small for a full frontal assault, so he resorted to deceit and trickery to overcome his sister's followers."

"He manipulated the mighty Hercules into challenging me to single combat," the queen recalled bitterly. "I was too overconfident, and the son of Zeus won when he took my magic girdle, a gift from Aphrodite."

"Aphrodite was furious over Hippolyta's defeat," Leliana added. "So she withdrew her blessing from the Amazons and allowed Ares' army to overcome and enslave us, just like he predicted she would."

"For over a decade Ares used us as his… playthings," Hippolyta growled. "After he slew our men and children, we became tools of sexual pleasure for his soldiers while his army grew more and more powerful. Once he was satisfied with his strength, he prepared to launch a massive assault on Olympus itself. A conflict of that magnitude would have ravaged the entire known world; that was something I could not allow.

The night before Ares planned to strike, I prayed incessantly on behalf of all the Amazons for the gods to grant us the means to stop him before it was too late, and thank Hera, they listened."

"Aphrodite realized too late that she had played right into her brother's hands," Leliana said with a smile. "She and the other goddesses thus gifted us with the courage and fighting spirit needed to break free of our bonds and launch a surprise attack against Ares and his forces."

"We were no longer Ares' slaves, but warriors," Philippus reminisced with delight. "His forces were stretched too thin to form any type of counteroffensive. One by one they fell before us until only Ares himself remained."

"Several of us died to weaken his strength, allowing me to get in close and deal the finishing blow," the queen remembered aloud. "His life was in my hands, but Zeus and Hera forbid me from slaying him."

Gwen, now literally at the edge of her seat, stared wide-eyed at the Amazonian monarch. "So what did you do with him?"

"He became our prisoner, a fitting punishment for what he had done to us. And as a reward for our victory, the goddesses made this island, our new home, where they blessed all the Amazons with immortality. After I had been unanimously declared the Queen, I lead our people as we rebuilt our lives here, free from the influence of Man's World."

"And Ares has been your prisoner this whole time?"

Philippus expression hardened. "Yes. He is being held in the Solitary Dungeon under constant watch. Under no circumstances are you to go anywhere near that place."

"Yes ma'am," Gwen nodded in understanding. "And thank you for sharing that story with me. It's just hard to imagine that you've all lived here for three thousand years. None of you look a day over thirty."

"You flatter us," the queen giggled.

"Eh, I do my best," she looked up to Diana with a curious expression. "So when did you and Nubia enter the picture?"

"Yes, quit stalling, mothers," Nubia challenged playfully.

Gwen watched as Hippolyta and Philippus reached across the table and intertwined their fingers together, their eyes alight with love and affection for one another. The sight made her heart swell with warmth.

"While we were enslaved, Philippus was a constant source of strength and comfort," Hippolyta unveiled. "During the long nights when we were kept in our cages, we would confide our deepest thoughts, desires, hopes, dreams, and so much more in one another. It was inevitable that love would blossom between us."

"I had loved her long before that," the guard captain disclosed. "And when we broke free from confinement, I would not allow a single enemy soldier get within ten feet of her as we fought our way through the hordes together."

"The first thing Philippus did immediately after my coronation was propose to me in front of the entire island," Hippolyta said with a blush. "We were married that same day."

"I could not help myself," Philippus confessed before she leaned over to kiss her wife full on the lips. "The moment, like you, was simply too perfect."

 _I think I'm gonna cry,_ Gwen thought, fanning herself while struggling to hold back the waterworks. _Either that or my teeth are going to rot._

"Hera herself presided over the wedding ceremony," the queen surmised as she pulled away. "When it was over, she told us to meet her at the shoreline on the eve of the New Year to receive her wedding gift. When the time came, we arrived to find her, along with her fellow goddesses, waiting for us.

Aphrodite stepped forward a formally apologized for how callous she acted. To atone for this, she convinced the other goddesses to support her in granting myself and Philippus each a daughter of our own."

"Hippolyta's would be her reward for her unyielding faith…" Philippus testified.

"And Philippus' for her loyalty to me," Hippolyta finished.

Gwen scratched her noggin. "How did you do it without… ya know… a man?"

"Through clay, of course," Nubia interjected.

"Clay was only the first step," Diana chimed in. "Mother formed my infant self out of the white clay in the ground, while Nubia was made from black clay."

"Yes, although my dearest wife was a little more eager to finish than I was," Hippolyta noted.

"Hence why _I_ am the big sister," Nubia boasted, a smug grin on her lips.

Diana scowled at her twin while Gwen covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Once we were finished, all it took was a drop of each of our blood and the goddesses breathing life into our sculptures, and our daughters were born," Philippus proclaimed. "The Twin Daughters of the Amazons, blessed with incredible gifts far above those of their kin."

"As you have no doubt seen firsthand," Nubia winked at the small blonde, causing her to blush in embarrassment and shove more food into her mouth.

"They became like little sisters to all of us," Leliana gushed. "We each took part in raising them, and every moment of it was an absolute joy."

"For us as well," Diana reciprocated, Nubia nodding in agreement.

"Talk about 'one big happy family'," Gwen marveled.

"Precisely," the queen agreed. "Life on this island has been a true paradise."

"Until I came along and caused a ruckus, right?" the webslinger asked guiltily.

"… No," the monarch said after a moment's pause. "You were the second."

"The second?!" Gwen almost shouted. "There was someone else before me?"

"Yes," Leliana confirmed, her face and tone a mixture of sadness and longing. "A very strong and noble man."

"But that was a long time ago," Philippus reminded the assassin.

"True," the redhead sighed, apparently resigned to that fact.

Gwen figured it would be best to drop the subject, at least for the time being. Besides, her food wasn't going to eat itself.

(X)

The rest of lunch period passed by pleasantly before everyone in attendance went their separate ways, at least until dinner. At that point, Diana suggested giving her charge a private tour of the palace, which Gwen eagerly accepted. From there, the two spent the entire afternoon in each other's company, exploring every square inch of where the royal family called home, nobody but the two of them, save for the occasional guard they passed or who strolled on by as they walked. She was even briefly shown the training room where Diana would instruct her for the next few days on how best to combat an Artemis.

Whenever they came upon an art piece, and there were lots of them all throughout, Diana would stop and explain the significance of each and every one. She also knew each and every artist by name, some of which were still alive and living on Themyscira to this day. But while Gwen did find the princess's knowledge interesting, she was more fascinated with how Diana's face lit up with such joy and passion the more she spoke.

She even decided to make a little game out of their situation. Whenever Diana's attention was aimed at whatever piece of art they were standing before at the time, Gwen would admire the princess' gorgeous features while she wasn't looking, and then look away when she turned back, pretending to be focusing on the art. This process repeated several times over the next few hours, and Gwen spent that time trying not to laugh at how easily she was fooling the demigod of a woman acting as her tour guide.

However, they spent so much time wandering around that they missed the first half of dinner, the sudden realization compelling them to rush back to the dining hall to catch their evening meal. Upon arriving, Hippolyta and Philippus laughed at the sight of their panting forms. The ensuing dinner was a quick and relatively quiet affair, and after which Gwen decided to retire for the evening.

Diana offered to show her back to her room and she accepted. Now the duo stood outside the door to Gwen's chambers, ready to call it a night.

"Sooo," Gwen drawled out. "Today was… nice."

"You believe so?" Diana asked, looking down at her charge.

"Yeah. Getting to know your family was fun."

"I am glad you feel that way. I look forward to introducing you to the rest of my sisters."

"Me too," and with that, Gwen stepped forward and gently clasped the door handle.

"Gwen?" Diana spoke up, causing Gwen to turn around.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say… about what happened in the washroom earlier today," the demigod paused, trying to find the right words.

"What about it?" the young hero waited patiently for her answer.

"I…" the princess took a deep breath to steady herself. "I do not believe you had any reason to be embarrassed."

Gwen's jaw dropped as she felt heat rise in her chest and spread to her entire face. Diana's cheeks were also glowing a faint shade of red as she looked away nervously.

 _Did…did she just compliment my body?_

 _Oh **hell yeah**_ _, she did! You know what that means~._

 _Nope! Not going there! I'm going to bed!_

"Th-thank you," Gwen stammered as her fingers tried to find the handle again, throwing the door open when she did. "G-goodnight!"

The door shut, leaving a perplexed Amazonian royal standing there in silence for a full minute, wondering just what had pushed her to make that comment.

"Goodnight, little Gwen," breathing deeply, she began the trek back to her own chambers, absentmindedly rubbing her moderately hot chest.

Gwen, however, went to bed trying her best to force those thoughts out of her mind, hoping that her sleep would be dreamless and that tomorrow's training would give her something else to focus on.

(X)

 **A/N** :

I know, I know. Almost an entire year later and I'm finally updating this. Forgive me for the long hiatus, but I can explain.

First, this chapter had a lot of ground to cover because I had originally hoped to finish this story in less than fifteen chapters, and I still do.

But secondly, and most importantly, my investment has moved on to other things. I appreciate those of you who patiently waited for this to update, but the truth is, I'm more emotionally invested in Super, But Still A Man. That is the story I've longed to write, and I hope to finish it within the next year, hopefully before RWBY Vol. 6 begins. I don't want the show to get too far along because then that might complicate what I have planned for future chapters in that fic.

But anyway, I do still plan to finish this story, but not before I finish SBSAM, and even then I still don't know when this will be done. Thanks for having such faith in me as a writer and I hope you understand my reasons. It makes me happy to see you all looking forward to the next chapter of my stories. A million thanks to each and every one of you.

Please bring forward any critiques you have so I may continue to improve as a writer.

'Till next time!


End file.
